What started as a big clean-up in his new home ended in a moving quest for Monoma resident Filipe in Chaam. At the back of an old cupboard, he found a horticultural diploma from 1925. A piece of family history that he managed to return to the daughter of the original owner.
When Filipe and his partner Johan moved into their home at Gilzeweg, they wanted to thoroughly renovate it. While cleaning, Filipe came across a frame stuck at the back of a cupboard. “I felt something at the back, as if there was a frame hanging there. When I took it out, it turned out to be a diploma, almost a hundred years old and still in perfect condition,” he says.
His interest was immediately piqued. “I studied graphic design and printing technology myself, so I immediately recognized that it was an original lithograph. Something like that is special. It's a historical document with a story.” Out of curiosity, he decided to find out who the diploma belonged to. With some help from online research and a bit of luck, he managed to locate the family.
“My partner and I were working outside when we saw an older couple walking their dog,” Filipe says. “We got talking, and I asked if they knew who used to live here. As it turned out, they were friends with the daughter of the man on the diploma. Fifteen minutes later, she was at our door.”
The encounter made an impression. “She was so happy,” Filipe smiles. “She told me that her father used to live in this house and that he was proud of that diploma. It just felt right to give it back. Of course, I could have sold it; it's worth between a thousand and fifteen hundred euros, but that didn't feel right.”
What makes the story even more special is the feeling Filipe had when he found it. “I really felt a connection with the name on the diploma. As if it was meant for me to find it,” he says. “I even dreamed about it.”
The diploma is now back with the family, where it belongs. And for Filipe, it wasn't just a nice story, but also a special experience. “I would like someone to do the same for me.”
This story shows that living at Monoma means more than just a place to stay. It is also about the unexpected connections that arise as a result.