Last weekend I visited an aunt and uncle of mine. My aunt is in her eighties and old age is not her friend. She lost most of her hearing years ago. She learned to cope with that. A couple of years ago she fell and hurt her shoulder so bad that she lost most of her mobility in that arm. She learned to cope with that too. A few weeks ago she lost most of her eyesight overnight. She was learning to cope with that. Last week she had a TIA (kind of brain attack) now she is almost paralyzed on her left side.
Afgelopen week ben ik bij een oom en tante op bezoek geweest. Mijn tante is in de tachtig en helaas komen de jaren niet in goede gezondheid. Ze heeft problemen met horen, met zien, met bewegen en nu heeft ze ook nog een herseninfarct gehad.
And still she greeted me with a smile and a joke and tried to tell me one of her wonderful stories (she is the family archive of stories).
Toch wist mijn tante me weer met een lach en een verhaal te begroeten en blijft ze haar gevoel voor humor bewonderenswaardig goed behouden.
My uncle is an angel taking care of her but his contact with the outside world is now limited to the computer (but he is a true wizard at that, teaching me new skills all the time).
Mijn oom zijn leven bestaat nu nog alleen maar uit zorgen voor haar en de computer is zijn levenslijn met de buitenwereld.
Tomorrow they will be married for forty years. But the celebrations will have to wait.
Morgen zijn ze veertig jaar getrouwd, maar helaas kunnen ze dat op dit moment dus niet vieren.
Visiting them made me realize once more how precious life is and how you have to live it fully and with all of your heart while you can. It also reminded me how important family is and that I want to hear many more stories told by my aunt.
Het bezoek aan hun herinnerde me er opnieuw aan dat het leven niet uitgesteld moet worden, maar dat je je er vol in moet gooien. En ook dat ik nog lang niet genoeg familieverhalen gehoord heb.
So go tell your loved ones how much you love them and go do something fun. Life doesn’t wait!
The pictures are of a card I made for my aunt. I tried to incorporate things that she could feel and make the card as tactile as possible. I filled it with lavender so she could smell it too.
De foto’s zijn van de kaart die ik voor mijn tante had gemaakt. Ik had er een echte voelkaart van gemaakt die door de meeverwerkte lavendel ook nog lekker rook.
You are so right!…life is a precious gift and most of us don't appreciate that fact and do a lot of complaining. Me for one.
Just think what your aunt would do for a day without pain and to be able to do what she once did. Your uncle is a sweetheart and he will be blessed for being so precious to his wife of forty years.
You are so right!…life is a precious gift and most of us don't appreciate that fact and do a lot of complaining. Me for one.
Just think what your aunt would do for a day without pain and to be able to do what she once did. Your uncle is a sweetheart and he will be blessed for being so precious to his wife of forty years.
Marianne,
This was lovely. I am very thankful for you and your family that your Aunt maintains this wonderful disposition. What a super lady she must be.
Becky K.
Hospitality Lane
Marianne,
This was lovely. I am very thankful for you and your family that your Aunt maintains this wonderful disposition. What a super lady she must be.
Becky K.
Hospitality Lane
Wat lief van je!
De voelkaart is erg mooi!,en morgen stuur ik een email.
Groetjes Miriam
Wat lief van je!
De voelkaart is erg mooi!,en morgen stuur ik een email.
Groetjes Miriam
I'm sure your aunt will love the card. It is beautiful as are your sentiments!
I'm sure your aunt will love the card. It is beautiful as are your sentiments!
Sounds like it has been a rough round. I am so sorry. Watching loved ones get ill, and struggle is so difficult. I wish you guys the best, and I hope that they have a great anniversary.
Sounds like it has been a rough round. I am so sorry. Watching loved ones get ill, and struggle is so difficult. I wish you guys the best, and I hope that they have a great anniversary.
Die voelkaart is erg mooi. En moet nu meteen aan mijn eigen moeder denken. Die met 81 jaar haar eerste herseninfarct kreeg. En toen niets meer kon. Gelukkig zijn ze nog samen.
groetjes Lia
Die voelkaart is erg mooi. En moet nu meteen aan mijn eigen moeder denken. Die met 81 jaar haar eerste herseninfarct kreeg. En toen niets meer kon. Gelukkig zijn ze nog samen.
groetjes Lia
VERY cute project!
VERY cute project!
That is just so true, Marianne! What a wonderful post!
That is just so true, Marianne! What a wonderful post!
The card you made for your aunt is beautiful
And such a wonderful idea to create a card that she can enjoy through touch and scent 
You're absolutely right, life doesn't wait. You have to go out there and enjoy it while you can!!
Congratulations to your aunt and uncle on their 40th anniversary. I hope your aunt will be able to recover from her medical problems.
Thank you for visiting my post about colourful Nova Scotia
Kelly
The card you made for your aunt is beautiful
And such a wonderful idea to create a card that she can enjoy through touch and scent 
You're absolutely right, life doesn't wait. You have to go out there and enjoy it while you can!!
Congratulations to your aunt and uncle on their 40th anniversary. I hope your aunt will be able to recover from her medical problems.
Thank you for visiting my post about colourful Nova Scotia
Kelly
Marianne, your aunt sounds like a truly lovely woman…what an inspiration she must be for you…the card you made for your aunt is lovely!!! i hope they had a wonderful anniversary!!
Marianne, your aunt sounds like a truly lovely woman…what an inspiration she must be for you…the card you made for your aunt is lovely!!! i hope they had a wonderful anniversary!!
Wat een mooie post! Goed idee om een voel- en ruikkaart te maken, dat zal je tante vast heel erg kunnen waarderen, vertel haar maar dat de kaart er ook nog eens prachtig uitziet! Nog een fijne zondagavond!
Wat een mooie post! Goed idee om een voel- en ruikkaart te maken, dat zal je tante vast heel erg kunnen waarderen, vertel haar maar dat de kaart er ook nog eens prachtig uitziet! Nog een fijne zondagavond!
Great reminder of how important family is. Our family is a true blessing that we were given for this journey called LIFE. Thank you for sharing the great love story of your aunt and uncle!
Great reminder of how important family is. Our family is a true blessing that we were given for this journey called LIFE. Thank you for sharing the great love story of your aunt and uncle!
This is beautiful.
This is beautiful.