Wake up in the middle of the night, is it because Torgit sleeps so fitfully? These, like the last few nights, song lyrics are haunting my head. - Day by day, the level drops. -

The day before yesterday Marius, with freedom: "All who dream of freedom, Shouldn't miss celebrating, Should dance even on graves, Freedom, freedom, Is the only thing that counts, Freedom, freedom, Is the only thing that counts" - So far still acceptable.

Then the next day already, Off to the south, from Buddy: "...Eeh off to the south, chasing the sun, ejo what goes

After the sun, ejo what goes yes I say, eeh off to the south...".

Today the low point is reached: "Hoppe, Hoppe, Reiter." - "...If he falls then he screams, if he falls into the ditch, there the ravens eat him, if he falls into the swamp, then the rider makes plumps." - What did our parents, grandmothers and grandfathers torment us with? No wonder that a whole generation thinks to be different. We could not become normal. - Sorry mother, but that had to be said 😉.

Apparently, I then fell asleep after all. When we wake up, it is clear that the weather is changing, it is getting colder and rainier. After studying the weather forecast, we decide to continue our way south. 

No sooner said than done, now it's time to load Hector again. While we are still stowing the last parts, it starts to drizzle. Rain and muddy weather accompanies us also during the trip. 
Our destination today is Nantes. - We set out on this journey with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the city of Nantes promises many exciting impressions, on the other hand, it will certainly be a special kind of reappraisal: Do you know people who touch you with all your senses, people who shine so brightly that you have the feeling of having a radiant candle in front of you? - The memories of such a person accompany us on this path and certainly also through the city. 
 
In my parents' house, the following saying hangs in a small picture frame:
"Someone special has to come along to help you forget someone special" So clear. - But how do you forget someone very special?

With us on this tour of the city of Nantes, goes a small notebook, almost a small diary. This contains impressions that a young woman named Aga, collected on her tour of this city. - Aga was such a special human child. By chance she fell into our lives. - How did it happen? - Torgit had set her mind on something. She wanted to hire herself out as a dog sitter. But it should not be just any dog, the breed was clearly defined: Rhodesian Ridgeback or none. - I smiled at so much optimism - but what I didn't believe happened. So a few days later Aga was standing in front of the door. She brought not only herself, her dog Adwoa, but also her then partner Dennis into our lives. Every day Adwoa was brought and fetched, and from time to time the bond with Aga and Dennis became deeper. We experienced a young couple, during happy and less happy phases. But most of all, we got to know a person who seemed to live life to the fullest. Someone dedicated to the task of diagnosing and fighting diseases. But above all, someone who illuminated his surroundings with your radiance. But like a candle lit on two sides, she burned out far too quickly. Aga has left us. The disease, which she herself diagnosed so many times, stole her life at the age of 28. - She always reminded me of Jonathan the seagull, which is why I gave her this book. Thank you Dennis for entrusting us with these, now your notes. We are always happy to see you for a coffee or two. 

Instead of brooding, I should perhaps have looked at the fuel gauge earlier. When I take a closer look, the display still shows a reserve for 40 kilometers. Our destination is in 35 kilometers. But better still refuel. But the density of gas stations leaves much to be desired. To be on the safe side, I leave one exit earlier, still ten kilometers reserve and the gas station is "only 5 kilometers away. That fits..." - Wrong, it didn't fit. Stutter and out. So we hitchhike to the next gas station. - What thanks to banknote in the hand, very liquid functioned. - When we arrive late at the place of our choice, it has already closed. But we find a nearby parking space. In the end, everything will be fine. And if it is not good, it is not the end.
 
Addition: Death has accompanied us since time immemorial, but its acceptance still leaves much to be desired. But death is simply complex. When he does his work as a cancer, I feel him as particularly cruel. - Is it because he has taken three beloved people from me in this way? - In this regard, I always ask myself whether medicine would not be more advanced in terms of curing this disease if it were not possible to earn so much money with chemotherapy?
These two books have helped me approach the subject of death in a different way:
No.1 - "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. - The story of the young girl Liesel, during the war years in Nazi Germany. The special thing about it, is not only but especially, the perspective of death, which approaches the girl again and again.
No. 2- "5 Things Dying People Regret Most". by the Australian Bronnie Ware. - She accompanied dying people in the last weeks of their lives. In her book, she brings it down to five elementary points: To have the courage to live your own life - to work less - to express your feelings - to cultivate friendships, to treat yourself to friends.
Realization of the day: To death I have only one realization, to live again and again as if it were the last day. - This is challenge enough!
Share our journey with your friends
en_USEnglish