Remembering my sweet mom Maria Houdijk
As weird as it sounds, it feels as if 2022 covers only 1 major story. Don’t get me wrong, I’m over the moon with the birth of our 2nd daughter Julia Maria, but after hearing my mom on the telephone exactly 1 year ago (31.12.21) that she had colon cancer with spreadings in her liver, our hearts skipped many beats….
Is she going to be able to be treated? At first the doctors kept staying fairly positive in treatment possibilities, but after about 3-4 chemo treatments she still had absolutely no result in these chemos. It is as if this was the only route for her to go, which somehow I’ve accepted, even though it feels unfair as F#%$¥.
Yesterday my Kasia Kalinowska-Houdijk asked me how my 2022 was. The entire year got obliterated by my mom’s passing on October 8th. 5 weeks later my beautiful daughter was born… in short; a rollercoaster of emotions.
What am I most thankful for:
- my wonderful family (yes they’re my everything
- spending 9 months of hyper quality time with my mom (and her granddaughter Lucy)
- having incredibly deep and emotional conversations with my mom, dad and wife
- all my dear friends
- all the musical endeavors that came on my path
- the album Fight for Light being released; my first recorded solo concerto by Jesse Passenier
- all the love and support from anyone around me and my music
I would like to use the opportunity to share today 31.12.22 the recording of Timeline which was performed at my mom’s funeral. (Lyrics & vocals by Maria Mendes, piano Jacob Bedaux, bass Sven Happel, drums Pieter Bast
Check out this live recording in HQ (recorded and mixed by Geert de Vries, mastered by me):
- TIMELINE - LIVE at my mom’s funeral -
I’d like to share the text that was written in the obituary of my mom
As many hugs as possible, family parties with
slack-jawed laughter sessions (including accidents),
walks to the petting zoo with Lucy,
wanting to babysit Lucy as much as possible,
walks in the woods or along the Heinis
with Roxon, Jazz and Gerry, 580-thousand-pot
Patience, your favorite homemade soup (chicken),
your favorite dish (homemade pasta),
your favorite wine (merlot), a ‘Bossche Bol’,
a cake (preferably as sweet as possible),
a club sandwich at the Silva, your passion for
music and playing at numerous clubs,
BEP weekends, tent parties in Gelselaar at
the Kossinkjes, attending as many concerts of
attending both Ashley and Vincent,
being home EVERY morning, afternoon and evening to have
dinner with your family, visiting friends/
family, sending a card when it was
birthday or could use a card, lighting a candle
lighting a candle at St. John's for those who needed it,
babysitting many children of friends/acquaintances,
completely moving and furnishing Vincent's
his apartment (together with Gerry) while he
himself was still on tour (2007),
making phone calls to your sisters or brother,
biking to your clients (for 40 years),
enjoying your work with your colleagues at the
hospital, co-organizing the Hercules
Hercules commemorations, the joy of being near the sea
your positivity and perseverance even
after receiving terrible news
about your illness, always continuing to visit and
taking care of Ashley's grave, but most
most of all your incredibly warm heart and beautiful smile
we will miss and
cherish at the same time!
A fight with only one horrible outcome that
totally inhuman to have to go through.
Your strength, courage, bravery, mindset, love,
light and zest for life are an inspiration to
everything and everyone in the entire universe!
Your heart, filled with love and colorful light will
continue to beat in our hearts forever!
Please give Ashley a big hug from us. 💖
