Jitty Ann Hiini (nee Bidois) will be greatly missed.
The Oxford dictionary defines inspiration in four ways:
1. A person or thing that is the reason why somebody creates or does something.
2. A person or thing that makes you want to be better, more successful, and so on.
3. A sudden good idea.
4. The process that takes place when somebody sees or hears something that causes them to have exciting new ideas or makes them want to create something, especially in art, music or literature.
The definition emphasises a person or thing being the reason for our inspiration to create or do something that makes us want to be more successful or be even better at what we do or who we are.
Most of us have at least one person who inspires us. So who inspires you and what process do you put in place to be around them?
My aunt Jitty Ann Hiini was one of my "go to" people for my inspiration.
The process I put in place to be around her was that I would visit her, when possible, before I travelled to my next leadership speaking engagement which could be anywhere in the world. This would also take place when I do my pre-trip visits to our awa or river which she lived beside and her first words to me would often be "so where in the world are you off to now Ngahihi o te ra?"
We would sit on the porch of her batch or inside if it was cold and talk about stuff. Stuff she said that inspired me.
You see, even talking with my aunty was inspirational because she was a real fighter, battling an illness that should have put her away many moons ago, but she had way too much to live for. Her words were based on that most of the time ... the purpose of life which always inspired me to focus on my purpose and to do better.
My aunt Jitty's illness hindered her breathing and meant every word she spoke was considered and took effort to produce. Mind you, she also shared a fair amount of inspirational wisdom with me and many others way before she became ill as well.
Like her brother Stubby Walter Bidois, who she dearly missed since his recent passing, she did not mince her words. She often shared lollies with tamariki and mokopuna and her awesome apple pie, stew or trifle with adults. There is an old Maori proverb that says "Ko te kai o te rangatira ko te korero" - the real food of chiefs is korero. With aunt Jitty it was both, the korero and the food.
And now, she is gone. Jitty Ann Hiini (nee Bidois) passed away on Sunday, September 6 while I was on a whanau holiday in Rarotonga and the real stink thing is that I did not visit her before I left.
We found out four days into our seven-day holiday and even though I knew she would say stay and enjoy the rest of your holiday, we knew we had to do the right thing ... catch the next plane home. That's just what you do for people who inspire you.
In her eulogy, her eldest daughter Hinewai described her mum as a woman who may have been small in stature but that didn't deter her from speaking her mind.
She loved her whanau dearly and leaves behind a legacy that will continue on in her children and mokopuna.
Inspirational is just one of the words used to describe my aunty Jitty.
As she shared kai she shared korero and inspired many to be better people or more successful from her youngest mokopuna through to her pakeke friends. She inspired many people including me ... Who inspires you?
-Ngahihi o te ra is from Te Arawa and is an international speaker, author, husband and father. His website can be viewed at www.TheFaceofNewZealand.com
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