If I had my life to live over

Every year, the 21st of October, I celebrate the life of my mother. She was born on this day, and eventhough she has passed away, it feels right to celebrate her precence in this world by surrounding myself with my own family in a day of happiness. When collecting her belongings from her office a few days after she died, I found this poem, and it describes my mom in a lot of sences. I want to share it, because it might help us all stop and think about life and that life is actually happening today, not tomorrow, not yesterday, but today. I know I need to remember that sometimes, when planning to far ahead, or worrying to much about the future. This is a poem to inspire thoughts on how to live a full and happy life. Hope you enjoy it too, it is written by an 85 year old wise woman named Nadine Stair, and I am also posting the Norwegian version of the poem.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER
If I had my life to live over, I'd like to make more mistakes next time.

I'd relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I would take fewer things seriously.

I would take more chances.

I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.

I would eat more ice cream and less beans.

I would perhaps have more actual trouble, but I'd have fewer imaginary ones. You see, I'm one of those people who live sensibly and sanely hour after hour, day after day.

Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had to do it over again, I'd have more of them.

In fact, I'd try to have nothing else.

Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day.

I've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute.

If I had to do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring

and stay that way later in the fall.

I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds,

I would pick more daisies.


OM JEG FIKK LEVE LIVET OM IGJEN
- av Nadine Stair på sitt dødsleie - 85 år

Om jeg fikk leve livet mitt om igjen
Jeg ville våge å gjøre flere feil neste gang
Jeg ville slappe av og ta det rolig
Jeg ville være mer gal enn jeg har vært i dette livet
Jeg ville ta færre saker på alvor
Jeg ville bestige flere fjell og svømme i flere elver
Jeg ville spise mer is og mindre potet

Jeg ville kanskje ha flere virkelige problemer,men færre innbilte

For jeg er en av dem som lever fornuftig og klokt time etter time, dag etter dag

Visst har jeg hatt mine øyeblikk, men om jeg fikk leve om igjen, ville jeg ha flere

Jeg ville faktisk forsøke å ha bare nye øyeblikk, det ene etter det andre, i stedet for å planlegge så mange år i forveien, hver dag

Jeg er ett av de mennesker som aldri drar noe sted uten å ta med termometer, varmeflaske,regnfrakk og fallskjerm

Om jeg fikk leve livet om igjen, ville jeg reise med mindre bagasje
Jeg ville begynne å gå barfot tidligere om våren og fortsette til sent på høsten
Jeg ville danse mer
Jeg ville kjøre mer karusell
Jeg ville plukke mer blomster

Grandma is coming!

Grandma Elvia is coming to Opuwo! We are all excited for her and her friend Rose to come and visit us here in Namibia, and can't wait to see them here! They will arrive next month already, November 5th, and stay for three weeks!

Camel "safari" with Eriks preeschool

Tuesday I joined Eriks preeschool for a camel safari outside of Opuwo. The camels have been imported to Opuwo for tourist purposes, organizing camel rides around the area. However, Tuesday Eriks preeschool was welcome to see and touch the camels. This was for many the first time on a "safari" or an outing with the school in general, and the excitement was grand! I had about 12 kids in our car, talking up a storm on the way to the campsite the camels were at. At Mopane camp they were able to touch the camels and learn about how they behave and live. Afterwards we had a "picnic" next to the camels, where the kids got 1 cookie and a small glass of cool aid each, and the day was complete!

Safari and lions in the campsite!

Last weekend Sammy, the kids and I went camping at a lodge just two hours west of Opuwo. It is called Hobatere lodge, and its a lodge with two waterwholes, safari drives and a camping site, also with a waterwhole and lots of animals. We had a great weekend, with beautiful animals all around us. Sunday morning we were woken up by the owner, saying there was two lions walking past the camp site, and if we were careful, we could go and have a peak at them. They were walking away from us, but turned and carefully watched us watch them before they walked off. Evidently we didn't look tasty enough! Besides from the lions, the waterwholes were visited regularly by all kinds of animals; zebra's, elephants, antilopes of all kinds, springboks, kudu, warthhogs, giraffes, oryx, monkeys and more.

Anne Rigmor og Geir i Opuwo!

Overraskelsen var stor forrige uke, da Anne og Geir plutselig "sto på døra" hos oss i Opuwo!! Gjensysgleden var stor, og tårene satt løst.....Anne og Geir er på rundtur i Namibia, sammen med Namibiaforeningen og Birigit som er reiseleder/kollega av Sammy. Vi hadde avtalt at vi skulle spise middag med Birgit og den norske gjengen når de kom til Opuwo, men at det var med slekt på turen, kom overraskende på! Vi spiste middag søndag, var i en Himba landsby mandag, og hadde en tradisjonell Braii i hagen hos oss på mandag kveld før de reiste videre tirsdag morgen.

My American grandfather

My grandfather passed away last week, with the whole family around him in the hospital. My American mom sent me this Irish prayer as a tribute to him, and I want to share his memory and this beautiful prayer with you.

An Old Irish Prayer

Death is nothing at all.
It does not count.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
Everything remains as it was.
The old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by the old familiar name.
Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no sorrow in your tone.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effort
Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was.
There is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner.
All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting, when we meet again.