Not Sweating the Small Stuff

Ivan Kraskin and Two Degrees of Separation from a Saint!

Ivan Kraskin and Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

I was looking through some photographs I had scanned into the puter and realized ... I was at two degrees of separation from a real saint! Well, nearly. But the Albanian nun is well on the way - beatification in 2003 being the first step to canonization!

We were staying at 'Bianca's Garden' in Malate, Manila, a couple of years back. The pension is a converted 1920's Spanish mansion, filled with tribal artifacts. Famously it has a large shady tropical garden and pool. And, more to the point, a 24 hour kitchen - for re-fueling after big nights out!

'Bianca's Garden' Pensione, Malate, Manila


The Garden of 'Bianca's Garden' Pensione, Malate, Manila


Interior of 'Bianca's Garden' Pensione, Malate, Manila

We struck up a conversation with an elderly and very adventurous traveler, Ivan Kraskin. He was passing through the city to catch a tramp steamer to Borneo to see orangutans. And turned out to be extraordinary in so many ways, not the least of which was speaking eleven languages: English, Russian, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Swedish, Arabic, Chinese and Japanese.

After a few wonderful and quite emotional days with him in which we shared as much of our lives as we could fit in, we exchanged contact details - but didn't expect to hear from him again. Happily a letter arrived from New York a couple of months later, with the photograph of the Ivan and the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta - more extraordinariness!


We began corresponding. But I haven't heard for a bit and fear the worst. It stops me writing - which is silly but still.

I realize that life isn't always necessarily about the big stuff. It can be just momentary encounters. Certainly I've thought a good deal about Ivan Kraskin, seemingly out of proportion to the time we all had together. I wish he'd been a greater part of my life.

I suppose the thing is recognizing when you are in one of these moments and carpe diem ('seize the day'). Or the price can be a deep regret.