Biene Close to Despair
Moraine Lake – Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Velbert, June 24th
My dear Peter,
Now I cannot be so long without any mail from you and therefore quickly write me again, and even if there are only a few words! You see, it is the only thing we have of each other. I told you that I would understand if you couldn’t write as often as before. Now I start worrying again and wonder what may have happened to you, if you are doing well or are perhaps sick. Since your last letter it seems like eternity, and I am fervently awaiting a letter from you.
I hope that you received my letters and my card from the Island of Juist. There we spent four carefree and happy days at the North Sea. Every year the Department of English organizes an introductory get-together for the participants in the first semester. More than ever before I had wished you were here to share all these beautiful experiences with me. I met many new friends, but as nice as they all were, nobody can replace you!
Island of Juist, Germany – Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The sea, when it is stormy, is so captivating and contributed a great deal to the atmosphere of friendship and harmony in our group, which was of course also the goal of this excursion. One cannot speak any idle words when walking along the beach, struggling against the storm, or viewing the playful waves in motion. If one talks at all, then only words, which come from the heart and reveal a small aspect of one’s inner being. I had to talk about you; for every thought is somewhat connected to you. All my companions wanted to look into the locket with your picture in it. Now they all know you a little, and the boys kept teasing me, ‘How is Canada?’ Whenever I saw one of them coming my way, I already expected a question like that. But I wasn’t cross with them; for they meant it well.
What can I tell you about the sea? You already got to know it certainly much better than I on your voyage to Canada. However, one thing you could not do like I did, that is running into the surf and then being carried by the waves. That was an incredible feeling! We were so relaxed that we sang from morning to evening. Our American exchange student, Pete, who had an almost inexhaustible repertoire of songs, taught us many of them, which we sang with never-ending enthusiasm. It was truly a genuine music festival! Peter, you would have very much liked it too. But I promise you to learn all the songs so that later on we can sing them together. O Peter, if only you had been present! Every time they were singing ‘My Bonnie lies over the ocean, my Bonnie lies over the sea, oh bring back my Bonnie to me!’, I ardently wished the wind just like in the song would carry you to me.
Now I wish from the bottom of my heart that you are doing well. And if something troubles you, dear Peter, please write it to me. I am waiting so longingly for your letter. I even asked after school at the post office, but it was all in vain.
Greetings in love and many hugs, Your Biene
Still no letter from Peter …
Velbert, June 30th
My dear Peter, I don’t know what to do any more! I feel so helpless and powerless, because I don’t know what I should do to get an answer from you. What might have happened that you don’t write to me? It is so terrible having to wait so long, when out of worry my heart is almost breaking. Oh had I only not written that I could understand if you wouldn’t be able to find much time to write. So I don’t know at all, if you don’t write on account of my remark or if there is a more serious cause. But since your last letter so much time passed by that in my inner turmoil and anxiety I turned into a veritable bundle of nerves and I am frightened by the darkest thoughts. Oh Peter, tell me as quickly as possible that all is well! Peter, let me come to you! There must be some work for me there too. I am really not afraid of anything except our separation. I did not want to tell you this, but for the moment I have lost all my courage. How much would I gladly endure, if only I could be with you! Dear Peter, if there is somehow a way, then let us take it. It should not be any more difficult than our long separation. How often did you tell me that we must take our ‘fate’ into our own hands! Surely it will turn out well, if we do it together. I firmly believe this.
Please, dear Peter, quickly write me or else I believe that you are gravely ill. I am constantly praying for you. And if I should have written something in my letters, which hurt your feelings, please forgive me. If I did, it would certainly be, because you are so far away from me and not, because I want to hurt you.
I love you, Peter! Your Biene
The Peter and Gertrud Klopp Family 
Oh, the anguish and despair come through so clearly. The long wait with no immediate response makes cell phones, emails and texts so much more appreciated. But the slowness of postal mail allowed the relationship to blossom.
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Thank you for your insightful comment about human relationship. In hindsight the incident of the missing engagement ring was the testing stone for our love for each other.
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You are welcome! The missing engagement ring was quite the test. It was good your love was tested. I am sure you have had many more tests over your long marriage.
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It must be a wonderful feeling to receive such impassioned letters from your beloved. (I hope you wrote back promptly, though!) As other readers have pointed out in response to some of your earlier posts, things are just not the same now that everyone has texting and emails and round-the-clock contact.
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As you will see, dear Bun, I did write back immediately after receiving these urgent pleas to respond. Yes, access to Internet and cell phone would have helped in the drama of the missing engagement ring.
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I look forward as ever to hearing what happened next, Peter.
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So heart breaking to read Biene’s desperate letters. I f I wouldn’t know that in the long run there is an happy ending, I would stop reading your posts. Too late, by now I’m “addicted” to it. Have a great Sunday.
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I can see how you with a romantic heart can become ‘addicted’ to a true love story, Cornelia. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
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Poor Biene! Her despair comes through every word…. I’m so glad to know that the two of you finally got together and that she was happy again!
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Truly, Biene’s suffering and despair were almost too much for her ot bear. Here I was in Canada waiting stubbornly for Biene to acknowledge the receipt of the engagement ring that had gone missing. Or was it really? The next post will tell.
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very romantic love letters, dear Peter. How difficult it was in those times to hold contact. I’m wondering what the reason for your late answer was. Have a nice day, kind regards from sunny Hamburg. Mitza
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These were indeed difficult times, dear Mitza. As I pointed out in the response to another follower’s comment, I did not know at the time that the engagement ring was lost in the mail. Stubborn as I was then I waited for Biene to confirm the arrival of the ring. Greetings from sunny Fauquier, where there seems to be no end to the hot and dry weather!
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Life could be so easy, if men and women could understand each other better. 🙂
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Your loved ones letter shows care and concern. Were telephone calls not popular and available in 1960-70’s? Letters surely have advantage of documenting for future dates.
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There were telephones, to be sure, especially in Canada. But they were rare in the average household in Germany.
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okay. I guess I have seen some movies from that era and not everyone had access to telephones. I believe. US was an exception, though.
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Was für ein zu Herzen gehender Liebesbrief an dich,Peter!
Die Angst,die Biene damals empfunden hat,konnte gar nicht deutlicher ausgesprochen werden.Was muß es schwer für euch gewesen sein,diese lange Trennung durchzustehen.Aber es kommen ja sicher noch mehr schwierige Situationen,die ihr überwinden mußtet.Doch wir kennen ja das Ende der Geschichte schon!! Und wissen auch,daß eine ganz wunderbare Family entstanden ist!👍👍
Liebe Grüße an euch beide,Peter!
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Wieder hast du unsere Not und unseren Schmerz so wunderbar klar nachempfunden, liebe Edda. Du kannst immer mit viel Gefühl deine Gedanken in Worte fassen. Bei eurer wunderbaren Großfamilie kann ich nur empfehlen, dass auch du bald zur Feder (sprich Computer) greifst. Schließlich hast du das Schreibtalent von Onkel Bruno geerbt. Viel Spaß in Bremerhaven!
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