"Goodbye, Dad. Thank you for life. I love you," wrote ex-political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich on his Facebook page.
Father passed away. I had a premonition not long ago and asked him questions about his life, took notes, and recorded a video.
"Write down all, all of your parents' memories while they are alive. I pray," Dad said, "that we will see each other again." It wasn't easy; Dad was born in 1938.
Dad lived a long, difficult life: as a child under various occupations and through the war, from childhood in the fields, from youth on one leg, he worked as a projectionist, and on a combine harvester, and tilled virgin lands, and on construction sites; for most of his life, he was a journalist, received an honorary donor medal – he donated blood for many years.
You, dear Dad, lived with dignity, and passed away peacefully, as you wished – at night. Forgive me, I cannot come and say goodbye to you... a wild time...
Mom passed away when I was in Valadarka prison in 2011; then they took me out to say goodbye. Now, Dad, forgive me, I cannot accompany you on your last journey... a wild, wild time...
I cannot accompany you and I cannot teach my children to remember their parents' graves. Prophet Nehemiah, who rebuilt Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity, answers the Babylonian king's question as to why he is sad: "Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the home of my fathers' graves, is desolate..."
For the Jews in exile, their homeland was "the home of my fathers' graves." And here I am, and my parents' graves are there, and I cannot come to them.
In Karatkevich's "Ears of Grain," one of the most touching moments of the novel is Ales's oath over his parents' graves. The father speaks, and the son repeats the vow:
"I swear to love you. I swear to protect your graves with sword and teeth, even if my grave is far from you. For I will still be here with you. For I cannot be separated from you. Until human life ends on earth. Amen."
But I have been separated; I do not have you, the graves of my parents. I am far from you, my parents, but I will continue you, continue you in my children and deeds.
And the day will come when we will be together, on one land.
"Goodbye, Dad. Thank you for life. I love you," Zmitser Dashkevich wrote on his Facebook page.
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