Dansk tekst findes længere nede i teksten.
Dear Svend Aage!
Happy 80th Birthday.
We, you and I, have agreed that on such an occasion it is said what must be said.
And what do I do? Yes, I could sing instead.
I don’t think it’s going to be very pretty, so help will be welcomed.
From the Life Tree:
“Let him play in the crown of the tree of life, let him feel
that life is great, let him see the blue horizons and the gate of the vault.”
Play, play child, playful…….
In your very own way, I think you’ve been playing for 80 years.
The game certainly has no age and can be unfolded throughout life, and new worlds will open up.
You have not always played through life, determined by different circumstances.
There have not only been headwinds on the bike path. You’ve hit your bumps over the years, you’ve taken your earlobes.
With your subtle, almost teasing smile, with your not always easy-to-understand humor and with what can sometimes approach black speech, you’ve found the child in yourself and thus often experienced the happiness bubbles of play.
We are four siblings present today with a joint upbringing on Funen. In your words:
“A little house with a mother who emphasized order.”
An upbringing that makes us feel that life is great through play and the scraps that free play entails. It’s worth living.
You only need to read any of the stacks of diaries and travel descriptions that you love to pull out or circulate by mail at every opportunity, to know that you have always looked towards the blue horizons, against the opportunities and experiences, the good conversations and the lovely people out there on the horizon, in the new, in the unknown.
It started beautifully with an empathetic journalist and a wonderful article in KRISTELIGT DAGBLAD.
This signs well for the openness with which you meet your surroundings. Maybe not everyone is as empathetic as Jannie, so maybe you need to sort…….
No raised index finger here? Do you know what I mean?
And now you do it again; But this time you have to do it alone.
In your words:
“A little house with a mother who emphasized order.”
An upbringing that makes us feel that life is great through play and the scraps that free play entails. It’s worth living.
You only need to read any of the stacks of diaries and travel descriptions that you love to pull out or circulate by mail at every opportunity, to know that you have always looked towards the blue horizons, against the opportunities and experiences, the good conversations and the lovely people out there on the horizon, in the new, in the unknown.
It started beautifully with an empathetic journalist and a wonderful article in Christian Dagblad.
This promise well for the openness with which you meet your surroundings. Maybe not everyone is as empathetic as Jannie, so maybe you need to sort……. No raised index finger here? Do you know what I mean?
And now you do it again; But this time you have to do it alone.
Last in Brazil and as so often before, Hanne was by your side. I think you’ve committed yourself to relive for both of you.
You will visit places that you have visited together and where you have held hands, perhaps daring a kiss.
You will revisit and meet people where together you have enjoyed the hospitality.
Your brother AKSEL.
80 års fødselsdag. Jægersborg 27.06.2020
Kære Svend Aage!
Til lykke med din 80 års fødselsdag.
Vi, du og jeg, er blevet enige om, at ved en sådan lejlighed er det sagt, der skal siges. Og hvad gør jeg så? Jo, jeg kunne synge i stedet for.
Det bliver nok ikke særlig kønt, så hjælp vil være kærkomment. Fra Livstræet:
“Lad ham lege i livstræets krone, lad ham føle at livet er stort,
lad ham skue de blå horisonter og himmelhvælvingens
port.”
Lege, legebarn, legesyg…….
På din helt egen måde, tror jeg, at du har leget gennem 80 år.
Legen har i hvert fald ingen alder og kan foldes ud hele livet, og nye verdener vil åbne sig.
Du har, bestemt af forskellige omstændigheder, ikke altid leget dig gennem tilværelsen.
Der har ikke kun været medvind på cykelstien. Du har ramt dine
bump gennem årene, – du har taget dine øretæver.
Med dit underfundige, næsten drillende smil, med din ikke altid nemt forståelige humor og med det, der ind imellem kan nærme sig sort tale, har du fundet barnet i dig selv og derigennem ofte oplevet legens lykkebobler.
Vi er fire søskende til stede i dag med en fælles opvækst på Fyn.
Med dine ord:
”Et lille husmandssted med en mor, der lagde vægt på
ordentlighed”.
En opvækst som gør, at vi gennem leg og de skrammer, som fri leg medfører, føler at livet er stort. – Det er værd at leve.
Man behøver blot læse nogen af de stakkevis af dagbøger og rejsebeskrivelser, som du ved enhver lejlighed elsker at hive frem eller rundsende via mail, for at vide, at du altid har skuet mod de blå horisonter, mod de muligheder og oplevelser, de gode samtaler og de dejlige mennesker, som er derude i horisonten, – i det nye, – i det ukendte.
Det startede smukt med en empatisk journalist og en skøn artikel i Kristeligt Dagblad.
Det lover godt for den åbenhed, hvormed du møder dine omgivelser. Måske er ikke alle så empatiske som Jannie, så måske skal du sortere……. Ingen løftet pegefinger her? Du ved, hvad jeg mener?
Og nu gør du det igen; men denne gang må du gøre det alene.
Sidst i Brasilien og som så ofte før var Hanne ved din side. Jeg tror, du har forpligtet dig selv på at genopleve for jer begge.
Du vil besøge steder, som I sammen har besøgt, og hvor I har holdt i hånd, – måske vovet et kys.
Du vil gense og møde mennesker, hvor I sammen har nydt gæstfrihed.
Du vil have Hanne med dig.
Du vil have himmelhvælvingens port i tankerne, og jeg ved, du er overbevist om, at Hanne og du engang skal mødes der.
Men drag nu af sted.
Oplev, samtal og kom godt hjem.
Lov mig, at få den rygsæk købt gennem Den blå Avis med hjem. Den vil Spejdersport gerne udstille.
”Keep walking down the road of hope” står der i en sang, jeg vil slutte af med om lidt.
Inden da………… alt det med vore sommerture med
Hideaway. Hannes venten på kajen i en eller anden svensk skærgårdshavn for at hygge og spise gourmetagtigt sammen med os i solnedgangen, lader jeg ligge.
Det var vores frirum. Det var uden for notat. Blot tak.
Derimod vil jeg slutte, som lovet, dog ikke med en sang; men med et vers fra en sang: ”Over the Horizon”.
There is a light over the horizon
I´ll keep walking down this road of hope
Faithful in my prayer
There is a light over the horizon
Though I may not know what lies ahead I trust that you will be there.
You will be there.
Lad os rejse os, sige TIL LYKKE og skåle med Svend Aage.
S K Å L