Salomon
It’s been some time that this post has been in our minds, without materialising in words until now. I guess the reason is its content, difficult is to find the words that describe the loss of a beloved friend.
Salomon died, after a few months of fighting his cancer courageously, two days after we went back to Perth. And with him, the huge heart, the constant simplicity, the precise word and the perfect meaning went too. And behind him remained the taste of a life lived well, a beatiful family, thousands of friends, a sea of memories of shared good moments and his poems.
In Australian land, when everything was new, strange and confusing, Salomon was the sound Spanish pilar, living proof that it is possible to live happily in Australia for 30 years without forgetting our beloved Spain and its culture.
He and Jean opended their house, their family and their heart to us, becoming instantly our Australian family.
With our enthusiastic philosopher translator of languages and heart of a poet we spent thousand and one nights of diners, of talking, of philosophy, of stories, of laughter, of sharing of adventures and loved friends and in summary of celebration of life.
Always with a poem ready to commemorate the importance of each moment, I’m sure our friend would have written something about our departure in search of adventures and experiences around the world.
And reading his compilation of poems, we found one he wrote to Mike and Jane, which we feel is also for us as for all the travellers in the world.
THE TRAVELLER
To Mike and Jane
On their wedding day
With his home on his back
like an adventurous snail
across the great lands of the world
the perpetual traveler sails.
The endeavor of the traveller
to all parts of the globe extends
the more he roams and sees
the more he comprehends.
Books do not teach
what experience does
I would gladly change the copy
for the reality prized by us.
The world is not as ugly
as conjured by some minds
diverse beauty is the wonder
which the seeking traveler finds.
Salomón
3rd May, 1992
To Salomon, with profound gratitude for your sincere friendship
See you soon my friend, love always
Hace algun tiempo que este post ha estado rondado por nuestras cabezas sin materializarse en palabras, hasta ahora. Imagino que la causa es el contenido, es dificil encontrar palabras que describen la perdida de un amigo querido.
Salomon murio, despues de algunos meses de luchar su cancer con bravura, dos dias despues de nuestra vuelta a Perth. Y con el se fue el corazon enorme, la sencillez constante, la palabra precisa y el significado perfecto. Y tras de si dejo el sabor de boca de una vida bien vivida, una familia maravillosa, miles de amigos, un mar de recuerdos de buenos momentos compartidos y sus poemas.
En tierra australiana, cuando todo era nuevo, extraño y confuso, Salomon fue la roca estable, española, prueba viviente de que se puede ser feliz en Australia 30 años sin olvidar a nuestra querida Espanya y nuestra cultura.
Salomon y Jean nos abrieron su casa, su familia y su corazon, convirtiendose asi, al instante en nuestra familia australiana.
Con nuestro entusiasta filosofo traductor de lenguas y corazon de poeta pasamos mil y una noches de cena de charra de filosofia de historias de carcajadas de compartir anecdotas y seres queridos y en definitiva, de celebrar la vida.
Siempre con un poema listo para conmemorar la importancia de cada momento, estoy segura nuestro amigo hubiera escrito algo sobre nuestra marcha en busca de aventuras por el mundo.
Y leyendo su libro de poemas, encontramos uno, dedicado a Jane y a Mike el dia de su boda, que sentimos es tambien para nosotros asi como para todos los viajeros del mundo.
EL VIJAJERO
A Mike y Jane
En el día de su boda.
Con su casa a cuestas camina
cual caracol aventurero
por los campos anchos del mundo
el perpetuo viajero navega.
La actividad del viajero
a todas partes se extiende
cuanto más viaja y más ve
más le gusta y más comprende.
Los libros no nos enseñan
lo que muestra la experiencia
yo la copia con gusto cambiaría
por la realidad que es ciencia
El mundo no es tan feo
como algunos nos hacen creer
siempre ofrece cosas bellas
que el viajero quiere ver.
Salomón
3 May, 1992
A Salomon, gracias de todo corazon por tu amistad sincera.
Hasta pronto amigo, te queremos siempre.
Tears fill my eyes as I read your message about my dear dad – why? of joy, to know that with you and many others we share the experience of having lived some life (for me, all my life to now) with an entirely unique person, God’s special one-off creation! Salomon. Of sorrow, that I will never place my hand inside his again (for a while at least…) – such a secure place to be, enfolded in warm loving hands of my father. Overwhelmingly of gratitiude – that he lived, as he thought best, staying true to what he believed, always ready to embrace like-minded souls who came near, like our dear Hector and Elisa. Thank you queridos. Stay safe xx