Granny's interview
Granny meets Henrik Wergeland
Granny's notes
When Henrik stepped into the room, it was as if he brought the scent of the salty sea and fresh mountain winds with him. He cannot sit still for long; he paces back and forth in front of the fire with a burning, indomitable energy. He does not simply speak; he proclaims. He so desperately wants us to understand our own infinite strength.
Granny keeps her hands warm around her teacup and looks up at him with a calm smile.
Welcome into my little warmth, Henrik. I know you thrive best out on the barren, windswept cliffs, but I hope you can find some peace here in front of my fire.
He does not remain seated for long, but quickly rises and walks to the window as if to throw it wide open.
The fire in your hearth, good lady, is born of the same spark that burns within a human soul! I thank you for the warmth, but peace? Peace is for the dead. I prefer the storms of life!
You often speak of the storm as something beautiful. But many guests who come here are tired of storms. They feel small and powerless against all the darkness in the world.
He turns and looks at her, his eyes practically burning with conviction.
Powerless? Look at the Norwegian mountains! They are carved by the wind and lashed by the sea, century after century. Do they yield? No! They stand firm, growing more beautiful and proud with every storm. The human spirit is exactly the same, if only we dare to believe in it.
But how does one find that strength when it feels like all hope is lost?
He gently clenches his fist to emphasize the power in his words.
One stops looking down at one's own feet and lifts one's gaze to the heavens! Sorrow is like the thickest fog; it blinds us, but behind it, the sun is always there. Hope is not something we are given, my friend; it is a choice we make. An act of purest defiance!
Granny leans back, fascinated by his endless power.
You were a man who fought for freedom. Not just the freedom of nations, but the freedom of the soul. What is the greatest obstacle keeping a human being from feeling free?
Fear! We build our own cages out of fear of what others will think, out of fear of failing. But the sky belongs to the eagles, for they never hesitate at the abyss; they simply throw themselves out and trust their wings. Freedom is daring to be exactly who you were created to be.
If a guest is hesitating right now to meet you in your room here at lovOne... What would you say to the one who feels they have no wind beneath their wings?
He reaches out a hand, as if inviting the guest on a grand adventure.
Step out onto the cliff with me! Let us face the wind together. I will show you that even your voice can drown out the sea, and that your heart beats harder than the strongest waves. Come!