Day 3640: Muzukashi / difficult.

 

  

"Struggle": junk mail collage, digital.

Want music?

Click here:  Maroon 5, Sunday Morning.

then click back on this blog tab or here to listen as you browse, or not?

 

 

 

 

2GN2S ... 

A 

Story ...

At 17 year-old Juliane Koepcke was sucked out of an airplane in 1971 after it was struck by a bolt of lightning. She fell 2 miles to the ground, strapped to her seat and survived after she endured 10 days in the Amazon Jungle. After ten days, she found a boat moored near a shelter, and found the boat's fuel tank still partly full. 

 

Out of 93 passengers and crew, Juliane was the only survivor of the LANSA flight 508 crash that took place December 24th, 1971.

 

This is her now, she lives in Germany Koepcke's double survival story has been the subject of books and films, including her own autobiography, When I Fell From the Sky, and a documentary by director Werner Herzog called Wings of Hope. Herzog was interested in telling Koepcke's story because of a personal connection. He was slated to be on her flight in 1971, but a last-minute change of plans spared him from the plane crash.

 

Koepcke moved to Germany, where she fully recovered from her injuries. Like her parents, she studied biology at the University of Kiel and graduated in 1980.[6] She received a doctorate from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and returned to Peru to conduct research in mammalogy, specializing in bats.[6] Koepcke published her thesis, Ecological study of a bat colony in the tropical rain forest of Peru, in 1987.[7] In 1989, Koepcke married Erich Diller, an entomologist who specializes in parasitic wasps.[8] In 2000, Koepcke took over as the director of Panguana, following the death of her father.[8]

Now known as Juliane Diller, she serves as librarian at the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology in Munich.[2] Her autobiography, When I Fell from the Sky (German: Als ich vom Himmel fiel), was released on 10 March 2011 by Piper Verlag,[9] for which she received the Corine Literature Prize in 2011.[10] In 2019, the government of Peru awarded her the Order of Merit for Distinguished Services, in the degree of Grand Officer.[11]

 

About 10 years ago I lost a close friend, at her request. She had decided to be more selective with her time, and her new schedule would not include me. I never knew what I had done. I wanted to ask, but I chose to honor her wish. It hurt so much, and it still does.

 

collage by Brandy 2012

Then 5 years ago I lost another good friend, a former student & artist, Brandy, but not by her choice. She spent her last year bravely battling stage 4 lung cancer. I did visit, call, e-mail, sent stuff, but she was the real warrior. Brandy did everything medically asked of her. Her husband let me know, of our loss. He was lost. I think it may be even harder for men? You see I think men are fixers. They want to fix it. And sometimes you can't.

collage by Brandy 2012

As a teenager I remember my Dad being deeply upset for what seemed a long time when even a movie star passed? Some he had driven, as his job in the studios, but mostly I think he just felt like he knew them from the movies? I watched as this happened more often as he & they grew older.

collage by Brandy 2012

 So now as I am older, I am on this side of dealing.

I miss this dear sweet lady. but know she is now free of pain. I have lost many important people in my life since originally writing this passage. They are in my thoughts often and many have left a big hole in my heart by their absence.

We women are emotional, we cry, we think & re-think, sometimes overthink. No easy answers. Loss is hard. (muzukashi)

 

 

 

A 4-minute video, Royal Flycatcher, here.

 

Just because ...

 

 

Philippine Eagle

 

 

 

 

 

Smiles for Sunday ...

  

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

                                                               Thanks for coming by today