Die Idee ist es, den Roman 'Sonnenstrahlen' (...Sunbeams...) in die englische Sprache zu übersetzen. Nachfolgend die ersten 'Leseproben' auf englisch... Ein herzliches 'Dankeschön !' an die Unterstützerinnen Mandy Bacon aus Pennsylvania, USA und Irmgard aus Köln....
SUNBEAMS
Headfirst into life, going for the dream!
Contents
Prelude
Prologue
I.
Chapter 1 - Dream
Chapter 2 - Development
Chapter 3 - Broken
Chapter 4 - Cut
Chapter 5 - Feelings
Chapter 6 - Uprooted
II.
Chapter 7 - New Start
Chapter 8 - Anticipation
Chapter 9 - Fulfillment
III.
Chapter 10 - Matured
Chapter 11 - Zest for Life
Epilogue
“Angels united in Paradise…”
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Prelude
Sunbeams provide an enormous space for fantasies as they illuminate the surrounding only partly. They give us energy and seem to be infinite. The sight of a straight beam from the sun to a little plant just awakening, joyfully deeply and delightedly taking in the energy of life, makes us aware of how beautiful and ephemeral at the same moment life is. Because to each life belongs death, inevitably subsequent. But in fact, death is part of a huge never-ending process. It is the source of continuing life. The remains of human, animal and herbal organisms are essential to make new life come into being again and again, thus providing the basis for the nourishment of the next generation. It is a necessary rhythm – the cycle of death and new birth. And yes, indeed! It is important to accept death because we can’t escape dying.
Only 29.500 days in my body. That is all the time I have. It is my life, it belongs to me! Each of my dreams is the beginning of an adventure that needs to be animated to be transformed into reality. And I am living right now!!
Prologue
Unbelievable... Now the last one of the four is gone. Much too early all of them. For years, everything in my life had been pivoting around the four. It was about truth and falsehood, love and hate, arguments, impacts and lies – a lot of joy and a lot of sorrow. See-saw changes all along. And now? Everything is over – somehow, everything is finite after all, not infinite. The disappointments and hopes – in the end all is the same.
While I was thinking about what life holds for us and how small and incidental we humans in truth are, his cooling hand still kept hold of me and I suddenly felt a very tender touch all over my body. A titillating, comforting shudder like a soft breeze gently circling upwards, through every single hair, then warily and very slowly wafting away. I couldn’t help smiling and felt my tears silently running down my cheeks.
Chapter 1 – Dream 23 years ago, summer 1980
“Out for work! Ready to start! Rise and shine! Your breakfast is ready on the table. And don’t be too loud, your sister is still sleeping.” My mother pushed me. I was wide awake. Wide awake? Kind of not. It was still pitch-dark outside, 4.30 am!
Gee, that’s going to be fun. And that is how it is supposed to be for the next six weeks?
Uncle Heinz had provided me with the holiday job. An important stage to make my dream come true the following year. My voyage across the pond at 17. I was now getting closer to my American adventure, a big step forward.
Uncle Heinz had already finished his breakfast when I came into the kitchen. He was putting his sandwiches into a plastic box, one of those handy Tupperware lunch boxes, which were up for sale at the numerous Tupperware parties as of late. In fact, Uncle Heinz was not my uncle but my stepfather. At our first encounter I was about 5 years old when our mother introduced him as an uncle. Of course I had believed that, I couldn’t understand anything in the very turbulent adult world anyway. And for all eternity I should now say Uncle Heinz to him.
Themselves to blame!
“Gosh, Tim, come on! I’m not keen on the others’ nagging if we arrive at the meeting point too late. We’ve got to go now!” Hastily, I packed my thermos flask with herb tea and my sandwiches – two with gouda and two with salami – and hurried downstairs after my stepfather.
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Chapter 9 – Fulfillment
For so long, I had been working towards it and now my dream was coming true. Finally! There was no going back now!
Early in the morning we went to Cologne station by car: my mother, my sister, uncle Heinz and, of course, Sabine and me. Before we started I had checked again and again to have everything with me. Tickets, passport, neck pouch with all the dollar bills and numerous American Express traveler’s checks.
When we arrived at the station we still had a good fifteen minutes before the train to Amsterdam rolled in. Sabine motioned me aside to have a word with me and gave me an envelope. There were a lot of little hearts on it, and my name in big colored letters.
“Don’t read it before you’re on your way. Not right now. You’re too hurried now. And don’t forget me!” “Of course I won’t”, I said and kissed her.
I saw my mother steal a glance and heard the announcement that my train was about to enter the platform. When it stopped in front of us with a roar and screeching wheels, I suddenly was in a hurry to say goodbye to everyone. I hugged and kissed everybody one last time and ran off towards the wagon with my luggage. My mother called after me, “Take care and don’t forget to write!” Before I disappeared into the wagon I heard Gaby shout, “And bring us something nice from America!”
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