Thank you, Anne, for helping me on the bus

Today, my grandmother lost her sister, Anne.

For 85 years, they had spoken almost daily, despite seeing each other seldomly after Anne had married and moved.

I can only remember meeting my grandaunt once, well over 20 years back. At the time, I was just a child, and remember only three things from the encounter. I remember she was helping me take a bus to my grandmother, I remember going down an escalator that was going upwards, and I remember feeling that she was very kind.

Three memories are not a lot. Not after thirty years of life.

Yet, that one encounter with Anne, even if it was merely for logistical purposes, was enough for me to feel a great connection, and a profound sadness that she is gone.

I do not feel sad often, and my tears took me by surprise. Then the surprise turned into a deep gratefulness at how curious and beautiful life can be. It is truly wonderous that one single encounter is all it takes to create an unbreakable bond.

Thanks to that one day on the bus, Anne will always remain an important person in my life, and I will cherish having met her for the rest of my life.

In a hectic everyday life, where careers and projects often get in the way of the people around us, it is humbling and heartwarming to know that any encounter, no matter how mundane, can tie together two human beings for all of eternity.

- Thank you, Anne, for helping me on the bus all those years ago.

Erlend