2006 Yearly letter to Viggo
I'm a little late with my Viggo letter, but I always say better late than never ;-)
Dear Viggo,
Another year gone, or just about gone. 2006 was horrific and amazing. How can a year contain such terrible opposites? Incredible highs and crushing lows.
My horrific year started with the murder of my best friend and his family. I won't go into details, just suffice it to say.... an event like this makes you look at life in whole different light. I could hear your voice many times saying encouraging things. So many of the quotes I've read from you address this situation so well. You know living each day like it was your last sort of thing. I held tight to these ideas, they gave me comfort.
This event has changed who I am. I've done things this year that I would have never dreamed of doing a year ago. I've taken chances, I've lived. I've actually broken quite a few of my own life rules in the process. But I have no regrets. I've taken trips, singing lessons, riding lessons, and signed up for college classes. And I never would have believed how important my friends and loved ones could be in my life. That's all that matters... life.
On the up side I was able to meet you twice this year! Once in Santa Monica at the Trak 16 opening, and once in New York City at ICP book signing. Nothing can compare to seeing your photographs up close and personal. I can't even describe to you what that was like for me. And the moments I spent talking to you were right up there with the best moments ever. I'll never forget your face when I gave you the first box of Choc. Sex, and will hold your laugh in my heart always. I treasure the pictures of your smile when I handed you the second box in NYC! I put that smile there ;-) And when you told me to get ahold of Peter Jackson (like just anyone could do that!) I nearly laughed myself senseless.
I guess what these moments did for me was affirm to me what a wonderful, caring, gentle person you are in life. I read so much about you, it was wonderful to find that you are more real, more human than I could ever imagined. I held you on this pedestal, I guess meeting you knocked you off. I don't mean that in a bad way. I guess what I'm trying to say is, you are no longer this larger than life person. You are real.
On the up side, you have converted my daughter Emily. She could never understand my obsession with your movies. This year she saw History of Violence and was totally impressed. She says Mom it's like he turned into another person on screen right before my eyes. So she has watched most of your movies from my collection and she is now a Viggo fan herself. She says you 'become' your part for each movie. I love it when youth finally catches up with the older generation!
I purchased your new book Linger. I spent hours going through it, reading every word, absorbing every picture. What an amazing collection, very moving and beautifully put together. And I bought Three Fools for April, which I've watched dozens of times already. I can only imagine how proud of Henry you were that evening. He is quite a young man. You passed on quite a bit of the talent genes to him. And let me say listening to you read Communion (which has to be my all time favorite) was thrilling to me. And the tear in your eye as you read Linger made my heart ache. Amazing to hear your poems in your own voice. Thanks for that.
Ok so that's enough for now. Just know that I'm still out here, still inspired by your work, and looking forward to life, and a new year!
Peace and love,
Catherine
Dear Viggo,
Another year gone, or just about gone. 2006 was horrific and amazing. How can a year contain such terrible opposites? Incredible highs and crushing lows.
My horrific year started with the murder of my best friend and his family. I won't go into details, just suffice it to say.... an event like this makes you look at life in whole different light. I could hear your voice many times saying encouraging things. So many of the quotes I've read from you address this situation so well. You know living each day like it was your last sort of thing. I held tight to these ideas, they gave me comfort.
This event has changed who I am. I've done things this year that I would have never dreamed of doing a year ago. I've taken chances, I've lived. I've actually broken quite a few of my own life rules in the process. But I have no regrets. I've taken trips, singing lessons, riding lessons, and signed up for college classes. And I never would have believed how important my friends and loved ones could be in my life. That's all that matters... life.
On the up side I was able to meet you twice this year! Once in Santa Monica at the Trak 16 opening, and once in New York City at ICP book signing. Nothing can compare to seeing your photographs up close and personal. I can't even describe to you what that was like for me. And the moments I spent talking to you were right up there with the best moments ever. I'll never forget your face when I gave you the first box of Choc. Sex, and will hold your laugh in my heart always. I treasure the pictures of your smile when I handed you the second box in NYC! I put that smile there ;-) And when you told me to get ahold of Peter Jackson (like just anyone could do that!) I nearly laughed myself senseless.
I guess what these moments did for me was affirm to me what a wonderful, caring, gentle person you are in life. I read so much about you, it was wonderful to find that you are more real, more human than I could ever imagined. I held you on this pedestal, I guess meeting you knocked you off. I don't mean that in a bad way. I guess what I'm trying to say is, you are no longer this larger than life person. You are real.
On the up side, you have converted my daughter Emily. She could never understand my obsession with your movies. This year she saw History of Violence and was totally impressed. She says Mom it's like he turned into another person on screen right before my eyes. So she has watched most of your movies from my collection and she is now a Viggo fan herself. She says you 'become' your part for each movie. I love it when youth finally catches up with the older generation!
I purchased your new book Linger. I spent hours going through it, reading every word, absorbing every picture. What an amazing collection, very moving and beautifully put together. And I bought Three Fools for April, which I've watched dozens of times already. I can only imagine how proud of Henry you were that evening. He is quite a young man. You passed on quite a bit of the talent genes to him. And let me say listening to you read Communion (which has to be my all time favorite) was thrilling to me. And the tear in your eye as you read Linger made my heart ache. Amazing to hear your poems in your own voice. Thanks for that.
Ok so that's enough for now. Just know that I'm still out here, still inspired by your work, and looking forward to life, and a new year!
Peace and love,
Catherine