heartache (remembering Janet & Brandon)

This month was the sixth annual Janet Clarkson Memorial Triathlon. Unfortunately, we again didn't make it to Montana.

Janet was an amazing person, an avid triathlete, and very dear friend of ours. Christmas 2000 she was diagnosed with advanced tissue cancer. At the time, the doctors did not give her more than a few months. However, she didn't give up easily and by spring it seemed that she had made it through. But sadly, new shadows showed up in autumn, and Janet passed away in November '01 at age 37.

I am 37 years old now and I still think of Janet a lot. Her courage and spirit has helped me through many difficult situations. She left a deep impression with anybody who got to know her and I miss her very much!

In autumn, we will be taking our children to stay with our dear friend Sunde in North Carolina for a week. She lost her husband about 20 years ago, when her son, Brendan, was just a few months old. Last November, Brendan had a car accident on his way to work. His injuries proved too much and he didn't survive surgery.

Brendan was a very talented young artist, an amazing person, with a sensitive heart of gold and great compassion underneath his 'tough-US-marine' exterior.

Sunde told us that Brendan had just started experimenting with a new direction in his artwork shortly before his death. So many regrets. My heart is aching and I can't yet grasp the fact that he is gone!

According to native American believes, the spirit of our loved ones is carried in the wind. As I watch the storm on the Dutch fields outside our home, I wonder if they get carried all the way across the Atlantic ocean ...