in memoriam

Ter nagedachtenis aan Ome Piet,
moge hij rusten in vrede
Wij wensen de familie van Ome Piet veel sterkte
toe in deze moeilijke dagen

liefs,
kj en odette

~♥~

this is the wedding card from Oom Piet* and Tante Annie, which they sent to me and kj for our wedding in 2007. i have never met them personally when i was in the netherlands as kj lived in amsterdam then and they in Friesland. all they've seen of me was from the wedding pictures which we gave to Mem. we all looked forward to meeting each other face to face, especially since the diagnosis of Oom Piet's brain tumor early this year. kj and i sent him cards the last few months and he had liked all of them. just two weeks ago, he gave instructions to Tante Annie to prepare a pot of flowers from their own garden for me to take back here in Ireland. he knew we were visiting on the 2nd week of september, and though i have never met this man, i felt a connection with him somehow because of his thoughtfulness, despite his illness.

last friday night, Mem rang to inform us that Oom Piet passed away last thursday. i was shocked i had no words for it. kj was still in the bath then, and i sat on the edge and cried. for so many reasons...for Oom Piet, for Lolo Kune, the thought that something might happen to my parents while i'm this far from them, what if something happens to the old ladies that i work with...

you just don't get used to the thought of people dying. especially if they're people you love and care about. everytime that happens, it strikes me as hard as before and the pain is just as raw and as painful like before. you don't fully get over your loved ones' death as well, the void they've left on your soul remains, and though the pain is not as much anymore, the longing to see them again lives on.


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*Ome Piet is kj's uncle, his father's brother. he also looked much like my late father-in-law.