15/01/2022
January 15th, 2007.
15 years ago, the best man I’ve ever met left this life. Since then, I had to find different ways to stay connected with him: swimming in the ocean, painting, my job, talking about him.
Everyone who had the privilege to cross paths with him knows he was a very special human being, the best dad I could’ve ever wished to have.
Every year is different, and after 15 years I’ve already forgotten his voice. Sadly, I have no videos of him since it wasn’t common at that time. I would give my life to hear his voice again.
I do remember the things he used to say, all the things he taught me, all the things that made us laugh.
And this is one of them! I’ve decided to honour him this year painting the “chañar” tree. The story behind might not be funny for everyone, but for my family meant hours of that kind of laughter that doesn’t let you breathe.
So, we were in our last family holidays in the north of Chile, where he grew up, and driving around he took a deep breath closing his eyes like remembering something nice and said “ohh, that smells like “ssshañar””with the “sh” pronounced very strong. So we all looked at each other and asked “what’s the ssshañar, dad”, and he said “I don’t know”. And that was it, we all exploded in laughter because HE DIDN’T KNOW what a chañar was and he gave us the impression with his deep breath and smile that we would at least know what chañar was 😂.
Anyways, chañar (or Geoffroea decorticans ) is a tree found in the north of Chile and it blooms this beautiful yellow flower 🌼. I just found this out, when I decided that I wanted to paint something for him.
Grieving loved ones never ends, we learn and grow around to it to be able to keep going.
I’ll be forever thankful for having him in my life, even though he was gone way too soon.
✨
