Liewe Catherine, hierdie tannie het jou nooit geken nie, maar deur al die foto's wat jou ma opgesit het kon ek sien dat jy 'n pragtige kind was. My hart is so seer vir jou wat nooit gaan groot word nie, vir jou Ma wat jou net nog een keer styf in haar arms wou vashou en jou warm lyfie teen haar voel. Liefste meisiekind, hierdie tannie bid uit haar hart uit dat jou siel nou rus sal vind. Ek glo dat waar jy nou is, jy gelukkig is.
Tannie het nie te lank terug hierdie gedig gelees en vandag dink ek aan jou ook wanneer ek dit lees:

Mis my, maar laat my gaan,
Ek is in die einde van my lewenspad
En my lewenslig het my reeds verlaat.
Ek vra geen droefheid of somberheid,
Wees bly vir 'n siel nou vry.

Mis my, maar laat my gaan.
Ek verstaan en sien jou traan,
Onthou die liefde eens gedeel.
Ek vra nie veel, onthou my
Maar laat my gaan.

Ek reis alleen soos vir my beplan,
Dis deel van my Meester se groter plan,
'n weg na my Hemelse Huis.
Mis my, maar laat my gaan.

Voel jy eensaam en verlate,
Kyk na Bo vir leiding en krag,
So sal jou smart versag.
Bid vir 'n rustige nag.
Mis my, maar laat my gaan.

Rus sag, liefste Catherine xxx

I can only say how truly blessed & lucky I was to have met you & to have had you in my life, even though I never imagined it would be for such a short time. I'm so sorry for how your journey ended. Sleep tight special girl <3

Catherine and I were family. I only had the pleasure to speak to her once. We were at my house and my mom was doing her nails. She used to live so far away. She was the most beautiful soul I had ever laid eyes on. She was so full of life. Catherine if you were here, I would have tried to talk you out of it. Would beg you to stay because you have made such an impact on my life. I love you Catherine. I never got to tell you that. You soul shone so bright, your smile enough to light up a city. I can't believe you are gone. Rest Sweetly dear Catherine. One day we will meet again

My liewe meisiekind,
van jou eerste asempie
was jy my klein babatjie...
As jy maar kon weet hoe groot
die leegte was en is
elke keer as jy om een of ander rede,
weereens uit my lewe moes stap,
was jy dalk vandag nog hier...
Jy word so oneindig baie gemis...
Ek glo jy is nou gelukkig,
en dat jy nou algehele vrede
jou werklikheid kan maak.
Niemand wat jou pla nie,
geen aardse struikelblokke
wat jou langer terug hou nie...
Ons sal jou nooit vergeet nie...

Catherine,
Wij, oom Hans en tante Petra zullen nooit begrijpen wat er toch in je is omgegaan om zo afscheid van dit leven te nemen. We hadden je een studentenleven, veel plezier en leren en later een man en gezin toegedacht.
Zoveel soorten van verdriet,
ik noem ze niet.
Maar één, het afstand doen en scheiden.
En niet het snijden doet zo'n pijn,
maar het afgesneden zijn.

Dear Chathy,
You where special and i saw you grow up to be a beautiful teenager. My heart is broken and i find myself in a roller coaster of emotions. I really hope you have found the peace you where looking for. My dear child i hope you now that so many people loved you!

Liewe Cathy ek het jou nooit ontmoet nie, maar so baie van jou by jou mamma gehoor. Soos wat jy oor die jare groot en mooi geword het en hoe lief jy vir jou boeties en sussies was. My hart is baie seer vanaand. Jy het altyd so mooi met die kleintjies gewerk. Jy sal nooit ooit vergeet word nie. Liefde en meegevoel vir die wat jou so liefhet.

Good Night and God Bless beautiful young lady xx Love and prayers to all your family and friends that are heartbroken and missing you dearly xxx

Dearest Cathy. You were such an amazing young lady! You had so much to look forward to in life and you had so much love in your heart. May you rest in peace dear child. You will be missed dearly....

Rus in vrede sussie...Al het ek jou nooit geken nie weet ek in my hart jy was n prinsessie.Jou ouers , boetie en sussies gaan jou so oneindig mis en is so lief vir jou.

Spesiaal en uniek in soveel opsigte. Jou stem is stil en jou plekkie leeg maar jou warm lag en hartlike glimlag sal veraltyd in herinneringe voortleef. Rus sag engelkind. ❤

I know words do not soothe the pain, but having lost a daughter a few months ago, I just wanted to say that I am thinking of you right now. May your beloved daughter be at peace.

Liefding; ek het nòòit kon droom, dat jy ons sò vroeg sou ontval nie... NIKS sal òòit weer dieselfde wees nie!!! Die hèle familie, is Maandag tot stilstand geskok!!!

Ek dink voortdurend aan die dag, toe Rentia en èk, jou op jou 4de, of was dit dalk jou 5de verjaarsdag, Bokkie Park toe geneem het om fotos te neem... Jy was sò pragtig met jou goue krulkoppie & hemelblou ogies & jy het jou gàte uit geniet.

Jy het oppi perd of donkie gery & die wag by die parkie het die dier gelei & dòòdseker gemaak dat jy nie afval nie. Jy het die hasies & eende rond gejaag, òp die klimraam, rondomtalie, & ìn die sandput met die balonne gespeel... En toe ons moes gaan, was daar 'n vreeslike tranedal! Ek moes jou roomys, lollies & byna die "maan" belowe, om jou dààr weg te kry.

Die parkie is steeds hier naby, om my te herrinner aan dààrdie dag; wàt sou ek nie wou gee om wèèr saam met jou daarheen te gaan nie, maar helààs sal dit nòòit wèèr kàn gebeur nie want jý, wat kleur aan daardie dag gegee het, is weg!!!

Liefding, òns het mekaar hòpeloos tè min gesien & noù wens ek dit was ànders... Ek wèns ek kon jou nog nèt eenmaal op my skoot tel & jou krulle deurmekaar vryf

No one knew the torment,
that you were going through;
We only kept on seeing
What we really wanted to.

We saw the outward smile,
but not your inner pain;
We never really dreamt,
That you would never smile again.

Forgive us if we failed to see,
What we could do to aid;
Or if we failed to comprehend,
How much you were afraid.

We pray your mental anguish,
Will now forever cease;
And that your deep anxieties,
Will be replaced by peace.

We know your pain invaded,
Every single thought you had;
It made you cry internally,
And deeply, deeply sad.

But we in turn remember,
The good times, not the bad;
We remember when you smiled at us,
And not when you were sad.

So when we think about your life,
We won't dwell upon its close;
We'll remember all the good times,
And forget about life's blows.

We'll remember all the happiness,
The joy and not the tears;
The assurance and the confidence,
And not irrational fears.

Our lives have all been better,
Because you have been there;
All we have now is your memory,
Reminding us to show others we care.

Rus sag prinses..xxx

One of very own poems

Sunset.

daylight fades,
and darkness creeps in.
Red as blood,
a perfect in between.
Yellow as sunshine,
yet darker than sin.
That perfect moment,
before the moon appears.
Stars will light up the sky,
like fireflies in the night.
The wind carries your words,
but you don't care who hears.
The flaming ball of fire sinks,
into the ocean,
out of my sight.

you never gave it a name my dear Cathy Strauss , Catherine Louise Strauss
I'm standing on the tower,
gazing down below.
Life is like a flower,
beautiful and fragile.
But what happens,
when that flower dies?
The world only seems,
cold and full of lies.
Is there anything left?
Anything to save?
And all i feel inside,
is nothing but rage.
Is there a reason not to jump?
A reason to stay?
Because no wound truly heals,
without leaving marks.
You'll never forget how it feels.
it's one of your deepest parts,
hibernating under the surface.
you don't tell anyone,
Cuz they wouldn't understand.
To them,
it doesn't matter how i feel.
It doesn't matter what i think,
for nothing i feel is real.
If i jump,
will it truly be over?

Tannie wil met jou praat, maar dit kan nie, so ek skryf vir jou... lief vir jou meisiekind. Wens dit was nie waar nie. Jou hele lewe het nog voorgele. Jy moes nog n mamma word, die liefde van jou lewe vind.... Vandag kan ek niks anders doen dan dink aan jou en aan almal wat agterbly het en jou so baie mis. Jou boeties en sussies, jou ma-hulle, jou oumas en oupas. Jou tannies en ooms. Ons voel verlore sonder jou.

My dearest Catherine, if I could have one last moment with you, I would spend all my available time telling you how much we love you, you are truly, deeply loved. If only you could see what your passing has done to those who love you, perhaps things would then be different. I will always remember you as an extremely bright, enthusiastic young girl, with a fondness for reading and writing, and dancing. Our family misses you more than words can say and you have only just gone. I cannot see how this void will ever be filled, we will forever love and miss you. If I could turn back time I would take you in my arms and try to achieve the unthinkable. I love you, from your aunt, Tania.