Happy & Healthy

THERE SHE GOES

Jet leaves Amayzine

I took historically long to write this piece. Starting from that lunch at Dignita on Amsterdam's Koninginneweg. As we often did on Friday afternoons, we found each other somewhere. Sometimes we drank a juice at The Juice Brothers, another time we had a bite to eat. Like now. As always, we chatted about everyday things. About my girls, about love, living together, money, and the monthly attempt to be neat (her, not me) and about not spending too much money on online shopping (same for her, I gave up that hope a long time ago).

I asked if there was actually anything she really wanted to discuss. And then she had to cry a little. And so did I. The moment was there. The girl was going to take flight.

I had been preparing for this moment for years. Every email in which Jet wanted to ask me something official (taking a break from work for her book, her column in Het Parool) started with the words: don't be shocked, May, I'm not leaving Amayzine.

Jetje, Jetstertje, Jettekind, Jettalicious.

But we both knew that Jet would eventually leave. Jet, who perhaps started as an inexperienced writer at Amayzine who didn't quite know what she wanted, but who already had a very clear vision that she wanted to be honest with other girls and young women and help them, has grown into a concept. Someone whose second book is about to be released, someone who is on the cover (and how beautiful) of Women’s Health, someone with almost 40,000 followers on Instagram and someone who has found balance in mind (we say keum) and body.

Jetje, Jetstertje, Jettekind, Jettalicious. You, Amayzine, and I, we were the perfect triangle. Together in a way too styled office with scented candles burning, fashion films playing in the background, and buying flowers weekly. You screamed as loud as Ilse DeLange retweeted something that the neighbors came to check if everything was okay with us. Together approaching A-listers (whom I usually a. didn't recognize or b. didn't see at all due to my short stature); I pointed in a direction where I suspected a type Kim or Kanye and Jet went for it. That's how we grabbed Justin Bieber, Kanye, Conchita Wurst, and a lot of top models by the collar. Only Catherine Deneuve I couldn't handle.

How happy we were together on the terrace of Morandi in New York, how wonderful it was at our dining table with carrots and wine and Google Analytics (with visitor numbers per second) romantically in the background. Together on the scooter (you say scoot) through Amsterdam. You who neatly painted my toenails for an event or stayed over because I had to be at Koffietijd early and you took all the kids to school and daycare.

Dear, dear, dear Jettie. Tonight we will cry again and go eat and drink at your favorite restaurant. Saying goodbye is such sweet sorrow and as you said: from now on we are no longer colleagues but friends. And I am intensely looking forward to that.

I embrace you,

May.