Signing up for that ’EU development policy’ course back in 2012 felt like a random choice at the time, but it became the beautiful beginning of our story.
Some friendships are unlike any other, and ours was exactly that.
You were about my father’s age, yet you always treated me like a friend, more of a companion than a student.
You always offered a steady, reassuring hand and never stopped believing in me.
When I finished my master’s, it was your voice that pushed me forward.
“You write so well, and your thinking is critical. You should definitely go for a PhD,” you said.
And I did. As my first supervisor, you were my anchor.
You were always there to support me, gently reminding me that scholarship is not a sprint, but a slow, deliberate climb.
You were always there to support me, gently reminding me that scholarship is not a sprint, but a slow, deliberate climb.
By the time I finally completed my PhD, you had settled into a quiet, well-earned retirement surrounded by your beloved family.
I was so glad you were finally able to spend your days reading and writing, enjoying the deep comfort and peace you had always deserved.
And now I hear that you are no more. The sadness I feel is beyond words.
How can I feel such grief for the passing of a man born and raised thousands of miles away from me, from a different culture and tradition?
Perhaps the truest human connections have nothing to do with where we are born, the traditions we follow, or the cultures we inherit. Perhaps they are built entirely on spirit, on how we connect and how we see the world together.
Our plan to meet again this summer for a good cup of coffee in a nice café in Helsinki will now remain just a plan.
The last words we exchanged the day after my doctoral defence will echo in my ears forever, as will our many conversations over the years: from Finland’s NATO membership to Nepali politics, to the quiet prices one pays in the effort to be a good father.
Rest in peace, dear Lauri.
You may have departed from this world, but your gentle spirit and profound essence will live on in our memories forever.
