I want to fill in some of the space between  my last post and the previous one.

After attending the Alternative Lifestyle Fair in Bergen I headed to Hardanger to visit with my younger brother and his family in their second home.  Also, my birthday was coming up and I thought it would be nice to celebrate it with family that I don’t see often.  An added bonus was disclosed when I telephoned my dear old aunt Kari in the same village and she said my cousin Helga was visiting that week.  Fall break brings happy surprises.  Helga and I go back a long way and I think she will have her story at some point.

At a reunion that I had attended in August I learned that my former elementary school teacher was still living.  Now that I was back home in the village where I attended the first two or was it three years of my schooling I wanted to go and see her.  I told my aunt and cousin about my wish and Kari said that they already had plans of visiting with her on October the 14th her 104th birthday.  My aunt knew of course that this is also my birthday.  I was moved by the knowledge of our shared birthdays  and decided to bring her a single red rose as she was my first love.  What a powerful impact the first teacher can have on a child, I would not have imagined that she would stay with me in my heart for 50 years.

I’ m not sure how I can convey what happened in that meeting, because it was on a very subtle level.  Although no word was spoken from the lips of my teacher, her eyes said more than I can express.  I entered her room and found her in bed in semi darkness as she was getting ready for her nap.  My aunt beckoned me to go talk to her and when I came close I could see that she knew who I was.  She pulled her hand out from under the covers and towards me, I held it with love as I laid my other hand on her shoulder.  I asked the angels to assist in giving her strength and healing and I conveyed my gratitude to her.  Tears filled my eyes, I was deeply moved as my soul recognized her as an important influence in my life.  I quietly stepped out of the room as I knew she needed to get some rest.  Outside we met one of the staff who said that my teacher was going to be picked up later in the day for a grand birthday celebration where the Mayor would attend and also the local newspaper would be there.  The staff person suggested that we come back later to take pictures of the two of us together.  When we came back my teacher was beautifully dressed in a white blouse and black skirt, she had a jacket on and her hair was done nicely for her big day.  In her hand she was holding a birthday card from her niece who was also my classmate 50 years ago and who ended up marrying another classmate of mine from a very different school in a location many miles away.  Life truly is an adventure.  I walked over  to her knowing that this would be our last meeting in this world and as I kneeled by her chair she moved her ear close to my mouth to hear my words.  Gratitude.

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