Thoughts from the Netherlands
This European adventure has proven to me that friendship and kindness are universal. My friends here share my worry about the violence in the world as indicated by news from such places as Bosnia, Texas, and South Africa — and we all share the frustration of wanting to do something, but finding no recourse but to wring our hands.
People here often ask me what I miss about America. I usually reply: “Wide open spaces and a dishwasher.” The Netherlands is a beautiful country — especially this time of the year when the flowers are in bloom and everyone is showing off their gardens. Tulips are not the only flowers featured, all the flowers are beautiful. Every bit of space here has some useful purpose. Even the trees are planted in a grid so that you can sight a row of trees from every angle. So, you can see the relevance of my “wide open spaces” comment.
Small cafes can be found in every town, including the small villages. This time of the year, they feature tables outside where people sit to enjoy beer or coffee in the sunshine. This makes bicycling from village to village a special pleasure. Each small town highlights its own local beer, some are strong, containing six percent or more alcohol. You have to watch that stuff because it can make bicycling a bit hazardous. Many of the beers come in several grades of strength and color. So you can choose your poison within the same brand. Even for someone like me who is no great beer lover, it is a real adventure to try the different types.
This European adventure has proven to me that friendship and kindness are universal. My friends here share my worry about the violence in the world as indicated by news from such places as Bosnia, Texas, and South Africa — and we all share the frustration of wanting to do something, but finding no recourse but to wring our hands.
Yes…another story from my book, Hand on the Shoulder: Finding Freedom in the Confluence of Love and Career (see Amazon). This one is short, but a longer one will follow.
Grant
