My part-time dad but full-time inspiration.
When I was 15 I was a horrible little cow with an eating disorder who self-harmed, argued, cried and fought with pretty much everyone. I especially fought with my mum and I put my dad in the middle of it.
To give everyone some peace I went away for the summer of my 16th birthday. Some friends of the family who we’d been vacationing with in Sweden offered to bring me to Spain where they had an apartment.
There I spent several weeks being nobody but me. I hung out with the local teenagers, shared a kiss with a local boy, played big sister to Micke and Lena’s own daughters and had grown up conversations with people who had a completely different outlook on life.
See, Micke had a lot of health issues. He’s had several transplants of several organs, diabetes, pacemaker and anything else you can think of probably. As such he enjoyed life more than anyone I know.
On my 16th birthday he gave me a glass of wine and told me I’m a lady now. He showed me how to snorkel. He introduced me to Tin Tin and comics. He taught me to be thankful for what I have. Death wasn’t something we talked about, but watching someone being so aware of it and me being so reckless with my own life definitely changed me.
After that summer he and his wife became my spare parents. We spent many more summers together and my own dad became Micke’s very best friend.
They came to see me in England last year, and I wish I’d thanked them for everything they did for me and my parents.
And now Micke has slipped away. He fell asleep today, and he’ll never wake up again.
I didn’t see him when went I went home last week, and I feel like I failed him. He leaves behind two gorgeous daughters, the best wife anyone could wish for, a best friend and a young woman who owes him so much, and if I could have traded I would have taken all of his pains and let him live the life he deserved.
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zanken likes this
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erikamoen said:
Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry for your loss. Your writing brought tears to my eyes, I’m thinking of you.
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jimmyaquino said:
So sorry to hear this, Anna. He sounds like an amazing person.
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thatswedishgirl posted this
