October 24- The Last Witness To My Birth

                                                        “Instructions for living a life. 

Pay attention. 

Be astonished. 

Tell about it.” 

Mary Oliver

There is one last witness living who was present at my birth.

Meet my last living brother. He was twelve when I was born. I was a surprise as my mother was forty-three when she conceived. I followed three boys so many years later. They treated me like a princess and at some point I became an adult in their eyes. 

Below you see my birthplace, a home built by my father and brothers in West Germany, some years after they left Silesia as refugees. The trees behind the house remind me that living amongst trees is my legacy. 

         

    Visits from my brother to this island are momentous events.

   He loves nature and always sets out on a walk within hours of arriving. Once he left for a walk telling me he was going to the water. Hours past and finally I jumped into the car to go looking for him. He made it to the water but walked so far along the beach that he couldn't find a path back up. He emerged on someone's driveway and trudged back to my house. 

     One year, when he came, we rode all the ferries we could because he loves standing on the front of the boat and letting the wind and sun rush through him. THIS is my brother. I love him!

Happy birthday to me, today. 

He will call and if he forgets I will call him. We learned that from our older brother who never once forgot to call us and reminded us when we slipped.

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