Liebe Andrea, It' s, das so lang gewesen wird, sind okay? You' vor VE, das auf meinem Verstand diese letzten Monate gewesen wurden, und ich wünschten Sie wissen, wohin Sie sind, dass Sie mein Leben allen jenen Jahren änderten. I' VE bewunderte immer, dass Sie Ihre Grundregeln bereitstehen und dass Sie nach den Sachen gehen, die ausmachen. Ihr Kind ist ein Segen und ich hoffe, dass der Segen fortfährt und das Sie wohl und dieses you' sind; VE die Vorteile wieder geschlagen dieses mal. Alles Liebe.
Andrea is a photographer; a very good one who has had several show. When we met many years ago, she was working as a guide for the German Government. It was one of those things, you meet someone and connect. She has presence, in those days she was very androgynous, men's pants, her tall, lanky figure imposing. She was the one who taught me to put on lipstick without looking in the mirror, she wore Yves St. Laurent, a vibrant red slash across her impish face. We had many conversations, about who we were and what we wanted to be, lots of laughs, great times even though it was short. We remained friends across the water for years.
We'd drop in and out of each other's lives, me living vicariously through her travels in Japan and China as she continued her study of photography, we supported each other through relationships and job fears. I have always thought of her as being truly fearless, sometimes with envy when I felt stuck in a rut. She was living the artist's life, being true to herself, something I wasn't always good at doing. I collected all the pictures of interesting things that she sent to me. All with her own special view.
Several years ago she was diagnosed with cancer. I had not heard from her in a while and then there came the letter. It was quite a blow. I'd always thought of her as being a free spirit, unfettered by conventionality, her own person pursuing the dream. At the end of a long road involving treatments, hospital stays and a lot of self searching she came out the other side, an even stronger person. One who found love and happiness. And then a miracle baby. She was on top of the world with baby, man and back to her photographs. I rejoiced for her.
Last year, after an absence of four years, the cancer came back. It begins again. Her relationship suffered. In all of it, she managed to find serenity. I am in awe of her. Now we have not spoken in a while I am afraid but I hold out hope that one day, a postcard will drop into my mailbox or an e-mail show up in inbox to know that she is okay.
Alles liebe my friend.
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