Woman’s hands-on work pleases clients and herself

Gilda Morita worked diligently and without complaint for the better part of four decades to ensure a brighter future for her five children.

A few years ago her children — grown, educated and leading productive lives of their own — urged Morita to do something for herself, something that would make her truly happy.

What Morita really wanted to do was to bring other people relief and relaxation as a masseuse. But to be able to do that, she’d have to go to school.

"I felt that I was too old," said Morita, 62. "But my children encouraged me. They told me, ‘Go, you can do it!’"

And so she did.

Still working full time at the Blood Bank of Hawaii, Morita spent her evenings learning lomi­lomi, deep tissue massage and other therapeutic approaches at the Hawaii School of Massage.

After completing the program, Morita passed the state licensure examination and served a self-imposed home residency practicing her skills on her kids.

Today, Morita and her healing touch are in high demand at the Moana Surfrider’s Moana Lani Spa.

"People say they can feel the calmness of my spirit when I’m giving a massage," Morita said. "It’s easy to feel that way because I get to be by the ocean every day, and it’s so healing."

Morita’s luxe work environment is a far cry from her humbler beginnings. She and her three siblings grew up on Pua Lane and whiled their days hanging out at Palama Settlement.

Morita married for the first time shortly out of high school and spent 14 years doing clerical work at the Hono­lulu Medical Group. She spent another 14 years at New York Life Insurance, followed by a 10-year stretch at the Blood Bank (where she has donated some 78 pints of blood).

Morita’s life has not been easy — she raised her children largely on her own — but she takes pride in the success they have achieved and in the secure, happy lives her six young grandchildren enjoy.

Morita’s hard work continues. In addition to her full-time job at the Moana Surfrider, she also does side work at the Hale­ku­lani and the MacNaughton Group.

This Mother’s Day, as guests flock to the hotel’s famous Mother’s Day Sunday Brunch and take advantage of kama­aina specials at the Moana Lani Spa, Morita will sink her expert fingers deep into the gnarled musculature of another needful client and remember what it took to live and work according to her own desire.

"I think everybody should be able to follow their dreams and be happy," she says. "I make a difference one person at a time, and to me that’s awesome. I love what I do and I’m happy every day."

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@staradvertiser.com.