Some happy thoughts that make me cry anyway
My journal is both a forum for keeping my family in touch with my life and a place for me to air my thoughts...here are some (very random) thoughts and memories I have of Kjell...
When I visited Sweden (and Björn) for the first time, Kjell was with us for several outings. We drove along the entire southern coast of Sweden, stopping along the way to visit museums, art galleries and little cafes. Lots of little cafes. Later on I came to understand that this was something of a family joke - Kjell always planned his outings around stops at cosy little cafes where one could have a good cup of coffee. That says so much about him...there was always time to stop and have a pleasant little moment.
I had the honor of serving three Thanksgiving dinners to Kjell, Eva, friends and family. I was a dictator about doing Thanksgiving "right" and making everyone around the table tell what they were thankful for before they got to eat the food. Kjell's answer was pretty much the same every year: with tears in his eyes he looked around the table and told of his gratitude for those who surrounded him. And every year I had the same thought as we sat there in Kjell's house surrounded by his generous hospitality, "it is we who are lucky to be here." I am eternally thankful both for Björn's dear father and for the son he raised so beautifully.
Kjell and Björn spoke on the phone nearly every day. Just a check-in call most of the time - what did you do today? What will you do tomorrow? Right from the beginning Kjell made it a point to include me in those phone calls. He'd ask to speak to me and then he'd patiently speak Swedish with me, making sure to use words I knew. He wanted to help me with the language just as much as his son did, and even though I normally hate talking on the phone I always enjoyed doing so with Kjell. The very last words he spoke to me, as it turned out, were during one such phone call two nights before he passed on. We had chatted about the week to come and he said, "Yeena" (with his wonderful Swedish pronunciation of Geena), "det är alltid roligt att prata med dig." (It's always enjoyable to talk with you.") Detsamma, Kjell, same to you, dear man.
When I visited Sweden (and Björn) for the first time, Kjell was with us for several outings. We drove along the entire southern coast of Sweden, stopping along the way to visit museums, art galleries and little cafes. Lots of little cafes. Later on I came to understand that this was something of a family joke - Kjell always planned his outings around stops at cosy little cafes where one could have a good cup of coffee. That says so much about him...there was always time to stop and have a pleasant little moment.
I had the honor of serving three Thanksgiving dinners to Kjell, Eva, friends and family. I was a dictator about doing Thanksgiving "right" and making everyone around the table tell what they were thankful for before they got to eat the food. Kjell's answer was pretty much the same every year: with tears in his eyes he looked around the table and told of his gratitude for those who surrounded him. And every year I had the same thought as we sat there in Kjell's house surrounded by his generous hospitality, "it is we who are lucky to be here." I am eternally thankful both for Björn's dear father and for the son he raised so beautifully.
Kjell and Björn spoke on the phone nearly every day. Just a check-in call most of the time - what did you do today? What will you do tomorrow? Right from the beginning Kjell made it a point to include me in those phone calls. He'd ask to speak to me and then he'd patiently speak Swedish with me, making sure to use words I knew. He wanted to help me with the language just as much as his son did, and even though I normally hate talking on the phone I always enjoyed doing so with Kjell. The very last words he spoke to me, as it turned out, were during one such phone call two nights before he passed on. We had chatted about the week to come and he said, "Yeena" (with his wonderful Swedish pronunciation of Geena), "det är alltid roligt att prata med dig." (It's always enjoyable to talk with you.") Detsamma, Kjell, same to you, dear man.