Requiem

On 22 November 2008 An van Wel ("Tante An") died. She lived in our household for over 14 years. She died at the respectable age of 91 years, just one week prior to her 92nd birthday. She was a remarkable person: honest (even though she was notorious for cheating at Monopoly), caring and with a strong love for her family and the place where she was born (Terneuzen in The Netherlands). She worked for many years as counselor in the "Raad voor de Kinderbescherming" (the board for the protection of children) and, as such, was responsible for adoptations. She was present at my birth, I was present at her death. The day she died was the first day with snow we had in The Netherlands. I miss her dearly but, at the same time am happy that she is now "home with her father and mother", as she so dearly wished. She has had a full life, which has now gone full circle.