Merriam-Webster defines Fate as, the will or principle or determining cause by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as they do. Some call it destiny, divine intervention, chance, and many other terms. But wherever you are in the world, you’d have to agree that many events happen as if the universe planned it. And always by surprise.
For this Kauai woman, it was one of those moments.
The Muumuu is a dress of Hawaii origins. It is loose, hanging from the shoulder all the way down making it look like a cross between a robe and a shirt. Decorated in floral patterns in a variety of colors, the Polynesian motif carries the charm of the magical island well.
Shannon Hiramoto loves Muumuus. She’s always wearing one and is constantly out hunting for the dresses, buying them wherever and whenever she can. She says it’s her hobby. Vintage!
She found herself in a Salvation Army thrift shop once again looking for Muumuus when she chanced upon something quite special.
Shannon found a pretty dress and like every woman who knows her shopping, it caught her attention because of the size and print. But it was the tag that opened her eyes. It said “Liberty House” but on the tag was a name. It said Kamei.
“It blew my mind because that was my great grandmother’s name.”
Amazing stuff.
Shannon bought the dress, took it home, put it on and says a feeling came over her. A feeling of a memory. One of her great grandma wearing it. She knew that pink, purple, and red were grandma’s favorite colors hence that feeling of déjà vu.
She went through all the family photo albums. There was nothing there but she persisted until a few nights later, her mom sent her a photo. It was her grandma wearing the same dress in front of the United Church of Christ Church in Hanapepe!
It was the last photo in the last album.
The best part, Shannon shares, is that her grandma’s remains are actually in the back of the church. Which means that Shannon went to the church in the exact same dress, stood on the same spot and took the same photo her grandma did many years ago.
“It’s magic. I think it’s just her way of telling me I’m on the right track.”
Shannon certainly is.
And she says the dress stays with her until the time comes when she can pass it on to her daughter. It’s a family treasure. One that holds a special meaning for her.
It’s been five years from grandma’s passing to Shannon’s incredible find. Where the dress went in those five years no one knows, but as fate would have it, found its way back to her. Now this is one story that could be made in to a short film. Hawaiian magic.
In a world dominated by technology and material wealth, Shannon stumbled upon something from the past. It was like all the planets aligned for her that day. Or maybe, just maybe, it was grandma who worked her magic, leading Shannon to the store where the dress waited for her.
Check out Shannon’s incredible story in the video below!
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Source: YouTube, Hawaii magazine
