- 199? -
- 2010 -
Palju õnne sünnipäevaks, ätt!
When
I was a kid, grandfather was one of the most important person for me.
He had always been fond of nature. More of a loner than a social king.
I always liked to go with him on his trips.
We
had our own place to go fishing. Praaga. A tiny fisher's village with
only three houses no-one lived anymore. It was a complete isolation
located by river Emajõgi just at the spot where the river meets lake
Peipsi. Perfect for us.
During our fishing trips, grandfather taught me how to tell time by the stars, hook an earthworm,
make a fire using wet wood and create a camp for the night using only what you've got at the spot.
He also liked to tell stories. I often fell asleep listening to old salesman tales
or
adventurous fairy-tales. He mixed them with glimpses of his own life
and there was always a twist. I never knew what I could believe.
During time, we created our own stories.
As I grew up, the trips didn't happen as often anymore.
There were summers we didn't make it at all.
At
the end of a summer just like that, I decided we had to go, no matter
what. Not to catch loads of fish but just to visit old familiar places.
The weather was windy and wet but we didn't care. As I packed the stuff,
I just had a feeling I have to take my camera this time.
If I hadn't done that, I'd have no visual memories of our trips at all.
In the autumn of 2012 my grandfather had a stroke in his brain.
From then on, he's been locked to bed, not able to move the left side of his body.
We tried to make a good face in the beginning, but things aren't getting any better.
His will is broken and it gives me mixed feelings.
Longing. Disappointment mixed with fury. Sadness.
Wish to be able to do something when he clearly doesn't want to.
Maybe
these photos will help to remind him all the good times and motivate
him to work on getting better. Maybe then, he will be able to stand on
his own feet again.
Maybe this wasn't the last time.
