I wrote Take Care Palagi: A Brief Grief Guidebook in honor of my mother, Leilani. This month marks 20 years officially since she died suddenly from ovarian cancer. Although many years have passed, the experience remains fresh. It was a long arduous journey of my grief to get to the point of acceptance in my life I am now. I am extremely proud to be able to dedicate this book to her memory.

A couple years ago, my father and stepmother drove cross-country to deliver a bunch of items from my childhood home that had been in storage for years. Among the items was a Hello Kitty diary from 2001, the year I learned about my mother’s cancer diagnosis. In it was: several pages ripped out, a bunch of hearts with Justin Timberlake’s name inside, and 2 diary entries:

I don’t remember writing these entries, but I remember the pain this little girl felt. I also wrote my book for her, my inner child. Much of my decisions I’ve made in my adult life have been based on what I would have wanted as a kid. What kind of woman do I want to be / would I be proud of? What does she eat, how does she exercise, what does she read, where does she travel — eventually that became my life. I believe it’s important to continue to strive for what your inner child would have wanted as that is the purest part of you! I truly hope I can help just even one child who felt the pain I felt writing that diary entry 20 years ago.