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Today, June 17th, Alexandra Kazickas would have celebrated her 99th birthday. On this special day, her dear daughter Jurate Kazickas shares kind words about her Mamyte and her father's letter written 30 years ago.
“Today our beloved mother Alexandra would have been 99. Sadly she passed away in 2011 in the early morning hours of her 91st birthday.
Our father Joseph Kazickas never failed to give her a present on this special day. But as the years increased, shopping for this humble woman who insisted she did not need anything , became a challenge for him.
But he knew how moved she would be to receive the most precious gift of all - his poetic expression of love - written with a “trembling hand“ on a piece of paper which she carefully saved. I think Mamyte wanted us to find the letter years later, delight in its romance and beauty, and share with others so we can all be reminded of the power of words of love.”
- Jurate Kazickas
"6/17/89
My Most Beloved One,
Long time ago, I would send you a bouquet of beautiful flowers on your birthday (…) This year I will send neither flowers, nor jewels. I hope you will not think that I do not love you or do not care about you any more, or that I forgot about you. On the contrary! My love for you with every year, with every day of approaching old age becomes deeper and more meaningful. I know that love can not be bought with gifts, although they are nice to get and to enjoy. Still, a day or two later they end up in a safe and become meaningless. They do not have eyes to look at you and to tell you that you are the most beautiful woman in the world without diamonds, sapphires and rubies on. All these jewels can not be compared to a single wrinkle on your face created by our life together - the hardships, the sufferings, the loss of Kęstutis, but also by shared dreams and joy.
Still, I thought a bouquet of roses would be in order but as you know, as soon as I arrived, I rushed to the garden drowned in mist. There, in every little corner, the most beautiful flowers, through every blossom, radiated my love to you, my appreciation for your fidelity and your commitment when building our life’s little nest. Thus, sending flowers seemed like a wrong expression of my feelings.
So I decided with my trembling hand to write you this little note and to tell you that I love you, cherish and admire you. May the Lord keep you in good health and bright mood, while I keep on trying to be better with every day.
I love you a lot – Juozas."
Photo: 2000. 08.15 East Hampton, NY Dr. Joseph P. and Alexandra Kazickas at their summer home by the fountain sculpture Leda and the Swan by Lithuanian artist V. K. Jonynas, on their 59th wedding anniversary