Small moments that lasts a lifetime!

I got a Christmas letter the other day from Bev Swanson. Bev, an American living in Idaho (US) is someone special whom I have actually only met twice. The first time was in the early 90s if I recall it correctly. Bev is interested in genealogy and had been looking at her family’s emigration from Sweden to America in the 19th century. She had put an ad in a local Swedish paper and my grandmother, who was also a keen genealogist , had responded to it and wanted to help in finding Bev´s ancient ancestors in the Kristianstad area (a city in the south east of Sweden and the area my father´s family comes from).

As my grandmother did only speak limited English (but was talented in German which was unusual for someone born in 1906) she asked my parents for help and so I got a chance to meet up with Bev and her husband Don when they arrived in Sweden. A few years later, I went on a trip to the Unites States and Canada and decided to visit Don and Bev in Idaho. I was greeted as a long lost relative and had some wonderful days with them and their family. At this time they had both retired but by no means had they cut down on their active lifestyle. Don showed me the airplane he was building and even took me for a ride in a small Cessna. I met the flying postman and tried on waterskiing for the first (and so far only) time in my life. Don, who was a retired liberal arts teacher, was a creative and talented man. As a younger man he built his own home and made an effort of not having any corners in the house.

In Sweden we have the children stories of Barbapapa (originally from France) and the blob-like characters in the story live in a house full of round rooms. When Don told me about the house he had built I thought to my self – he actually built a Barbapapa house! Don and Bev both made sure I had a wonderful time in the US and I still remember many of our late night talks about religion and spiritual subject. At one moment Bev apologised for Don as she felt that I might get offended by some of Dons ideas about how different religions interact or could interact but there was no need for this. Years later, when Dan Browns books started to fill the bookstores (writer of the Da Vinci Code ) I thought about Don and his challenging and inspiring ideas.

Don is no longer with us but Bev keeps in contact with me and my parents. It was great to hear from her now, see the pictures of her family and for a moment go down memory lane. Last time we met was in 1994 but even if it was a long time ago I have memories and ideas that will stay with me for a long time ahead.

Small moments that lasts a lifetime!