What can you say?

I dropped by work today. They wanted to hand over gifts, offer congratulations and support. Interesting that, by the way. I’ve noticed that friends and acquaintances seem to find it difficult to relate to the whole thing. They want to congratulate us on the birth of our new baby. But they also want to tell us how immensly sorry they are about the situation that we’re in. They’re left standing there, like a donkey between two haystacks. The ”congrats” one and the ”I’m so sorry” one. And they haven’t got a clue what to say. Not at all strange, if you ask me. What would I have said? It’s great and so sad at the same time.

In any case, I was at work. We were sitting in our big conference room having coffees. They had bought gifts for Abbe’s big brother. Such a brilliant idea. He, if anyone needs an extra dose of encouragement right now. A huge box of Duplo (and a spare one, to be kept in the office, in case one needs to bring the children to work).

And then there was Abbe’s gift. He is, after all, the cause of all this. A tiny teddy bear and a card with two words that really got to me. ”Go Abbe”, it said. So well put. Everything you want said but have trouble putting to words, captured in just two. I swallowed and swallowed again, but the lump in my throat kept growing. I felt the tears coming and bent my head down and shut my eyes really tight.

Please let them be quiet now, I thought, I can’t answer any questions.