Stories for children should only be about happy things. I don't think so!

The most valuable lessons we can teach our children are the moments we found difficult or even painful 💔 For example, I spoke to a 94-year-old woman on her deathbed. We talked about the lessons life had taught her. Bitter was the first word that came to mind. World War II, Japanese camps, an unhappy childhood and marriage, a lost child. Sadness over and over. Disappointed time after time. But also picked herself up again and again. Then you may wonder, but HOW do I tell this to children? First of all, in a way that suits the person. The special thing about this woman was that she loved gardening very much 🌿. She had a deep-seated love for nature. And this is how we tell her story:

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Once upon a time there was a special woman. Grand, striking and admired by others. The golden child, with a Dutch look – blond hair and blue eyes. Stately and strong, with a deep-rooted love for nature.

That love was mutual. So nature planted two flower seeds in her. One was a pink rose. Symbol of love and beauty. The other was a Japanese anemone. A flower with many faces. First of all, enterprising and it blooms flower, after flower, after flower. Always wanting to look ahead. But it is also an omen that something is coming. It warns to be on your guard.

Already during her early childhood, the rose begins to wither for lack of love. Time and again, after every disappointment, a leaf falls off. But the anemone kept on blooming and so the woman always wanted to make the most of it.

Love found its way by continuing to seek contact with nature. In gardening 🌿, she got back the love she put into it. In the beautiful gardens she created, she dreamed of better times. Away from all sadness.

Meanwhile, the Japanese anemone in The Queen, as she is also called by her family, has not yet finished flowering. But she is. She carefully frees herself from the anemone and plants it in the garden. In this way, it could always continue to bloom, even if it would later only be a memory.

A memory of a feminine and well-groomed woman, who was also very tough. She always stepped forward, to the center, because forward is the only way for her. Her face radiates strength, maybe even a little harsh, but a small smile shows she's caring. An Indonesian woman, in a Dutch jacket, because part of who she is has always remained in Indonesia.

‘Look forward to the future and don’t forsake the ones you love. Something new is always around the corner, no matter how dark things might look right now.’