2006 / december / 25

christmas message

I wanted to sit down, and write a series of lighthearted 'dispatches from smalltown Italy' - but I opted to check my email first. Bad news.

A colleague that I worked with closely a few years ago, died on tuesday, suddenly.
The doctors found out why my amnesty buddy from the Romania task group, was so tired in the past weeks. Advanced, terminal cancer. No treatment, it might be slowed down a little, but that's it.
Another friend has Lyme's. In the mail in which she wrote that, she also mentioned that the child she had been caring for in the final stage of his disease, together with the mother, has passed away.

Instead of blogging, I opted for a walk through the village with Milena, to share and be silent while chewing over all of this.
All these events, people I know quite well, and I'm far away, in Italy. For my amnesty buddy it is especially so unfair, one of the nicest men I got to know the last few years. Why him, I find myself thinking. I know it's selfish, but I won't pretend I'm not feeling angry that it's his time, instead of someone else (not that have a candidate for that).
And the old colleague. He prided himself in coming one day in a very sloffy outfit, the next in a well-cut pinstripe. A joker. A smoker. Whose very independance brought simple joy.

The Italian dispatches will have to wait.
To top it all off, we had a fire in the house after that. One minute later and a blanket wouldn't have put it out anymore.

I wish all of you the best for the new year. The deceased colleague formed a team for years with one co-worker, they were very close. I wish her strength. To my amnesty buddy, I hope that you have some time still to come to terms, before, before whatever is coming. His wife and two grown kids, more strength, for this time, and after.

Best wishes, and merry christmas, to everyone.