Growing up, Shawn Tokawa was especially close with his cousins and his aunt Betty. There was a sense of stability in their home that he didn’t always feel in his own, and he recalls fondly the festive events where the extended family got together.
He remembers settling into his aunt’s home for New Year’s celebrations, where tables laden with food enticed friends from all over the neighbourhood, and he and his cousins would join the tour from home to home to share in the festivities.
Yes, he was always close, so when Betty moved to The Village of Erin Meadows and Shawn was nearby to offer support, he never hesitated. He wanted to help in any way he could, in part to pay forward the kindness and support he felt from Betty and his cousins in times past when he had struggled through dark periods in difficult bouts of depression.
Depression has been with Shawn all his life, but it took many years before he could articulate what that meant, and today he says giving of himself to others is a great counterweight; being there for Betty and his cousins is one way he can do that.
He began checking in on her regularly after she moved to the Village, and saw that she was making friends and quickly becoming part of the community, yet something was missing, and he noticed it most often during mealtimes.
Betty is Japanese and particular about the food she eats, Shawn notes, and as an ardent cook, he understood.
This is part of the reason Shawn came to live with her in the Village. He loves to cook her favourite Japanese dishes, and he also loves the community he has become part of. At 66 years old, he’s certainly one of the younger residents, and he’s perfectly fine with that. Not only can he give of himself in support of Betty, but he has found a huge extended family among the residents of Erin Meadows that he can connect with.
“I want to spread as much joy as I can and make people feel as happy as they can possibly be,” Shawn says, before mentioning pub nights and the laughter he’s a part of when he and the residents share stories over a drink or two.
“Everybody cares about everybody here. It’s like a close-knit family. You get to know everybody and their nuances; and thank God for our individuality, because it makes us who we are.”
Shawn likes to spend time along Main Street connecting with residents, and he began offering workshops on the delicate art of origami, a skill he learned through his aunt.
He shares pictures of his work captured in a large photo album – intricate figures of birds and animals that take weeks of effort, though he can simplify the process somewhat to offer beginners the basic skills. It’s not so much about the outcome, really, it’s about the time spent learning together.
For Shawn, that togetherness is what Erin Meadows is all about.
When asked what he sees as the Village’s greatest attribute, his response is simple: “The community love, and the strength of the people here,” he says. “The people band together, and they’re very strong.”
For a man that has relied on the strength of others while giving it out as needed, that is a wonderful attribute for a home and community, indeed.
