Each year during Advent the women’s fellowship at our church has a candlelight potluck to come together and mark the beginning of Advent. It is a lovely time to be together and enjoy food and friendship and music by candlelight. Each year at the close of this gathering and also at the end of the Christmas Eve service we sing Silent Night. It is a tradition in this historically German kirche established in 1840 to remember our history and connection to the past. And so we sing the first two verses in English and the third in German raising our candles and symbolically shining our light in the world of darkness.

This year memories of times with Nadine over candlelight came flooding back and so I raised my candle in the knowledge that light and love are our eternal connection. And I sang:

Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht
Alles schläft, einsam wacht
Nur das traute, hoch heilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh,
Schlaf in himmlisher Ruh.

May we carry her light and love with us in the quiet and beauty of this Christmas season.

The day I met Nadine was an auspicious day. It changed my life. I think we were in HDFL and we started talking and I realized how cool this gal was! She and I talked about books and languages and culture and In those short two weeks before she returned to Germany, a friendship was forged. Nadine, you opened a door to a whole world for me and I met so many wonderful people because of you – for a wonderful year you were my family – and then you all left and I was bereft.

We would gather for coffee and cookies at 3, cook meals together, discuss books, share languages and hopes and dreams – the world got much larger and richer for the connections. And when I came to Germany, you and Christine showed me your country – Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Tuebingen, (remember the Weisswurst and the boat during the race?). We traveled to Munich and listen to Oompahpah music in the English Garten and drank beer and ate pretzels and laughed and walked to the castle. And the train to Belgium with castle after castle to see the Magritte exhibit – all those baguettes floating in the clouds and touring the central square and tea house – all special memories. And we met your parents in Reutlingen and walked the beautiful green town in early summer. I remember that day thinking we will be here together again…

I never imagined how quickly twenty years could pass or how the twists and turns in the path would shape that journey. Do you remember that damn Thirty years war paper?! You hated that thing but the challenge of translating German poetry into English… You were all in! And then you worked as an English teacher – I cannot imagine a more patient and gifted teacher and linguist! It was so painful to say goodbye at the airport at the end of that wonderful time. I wish I could be there now to make you tea, and laugh together, and give you the best hug ever. We will light our candle and grab our coffee and we will talk all night and remember all the beautiful moments we shared! And I will wear die schnekken earrings and we will be 25 again!

Love you, Jess

P.S.: The picture shows a sunset in Abilene, Kansas in September 2016