Spirit Speak

Martijn and I sit happily in front of our window in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, the community we so sadly departed to relocate here to Maastricht, the Netherlands. We were interviewed for an article in October 1999, ten years ago, focusing on how many homeowners were converting their duplex homes (homes made into a main residence plus a rental unit) into home businesses. 

Scrolling through the files of our local online expat newspaper, Crossroads, I came across this photo of Martijn (left) attending the speech by Jeremy Rifkin who spoke at the 2007 Schuman Lecture, hosted by the Univeristy of Maastricht, on May 9th.

My life is beginning to be busier, filled with some small work projects, slightly more social events, work on my various creative projects, and Dutch lessons. Sitting at my desk doing my Dutch homework, using Martijn's lovely dictionaries and finding corrections and notes from him brought tears of loss to my eyes. As always during these moments of pain, moments of feeling the intense sense of loss of his company and love, I pray for a sign...I ask where in world he may be. I ask if he's still with me, still in me, still protecting me and caring for me as he always did. And time after time when I ask for such impossible reassurance come signs, small messages of love beyond time and space.

Yesterday, while searching for a phone number in an old personal phone book I found the clipping from the Seward Profile newspaper at the top of this posting. Relaxed and happy, as always with Martijn's strong arm around my shoulder, I took time to remember just how full and good our life was. A stolen moment, a stolen memory, a voice from beyond time and space?

And then, this morning, slogging through my Dutch homework, I felt compelled to take a short break. Cruising through my Crossroads online news I was shocked when I found Martijn's lovely profile as he listened to the Jeremy Rifkin lecture. In May 2007 we already knew about the cancer, yet we continued to live a full and good life - interested in our world.

I now try to keep that fullness, I try to reincorporate that goodness, I try to come alive for both of us.

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Step up for the Mystery Tour, Susan near Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields.

Since the minute I saw the four "mop heads" in black and white on our little telly screen I have wanted to see where the Beatles were born, lived, grew up and made music. Last week I did just that. 

Old buddy Barbara Craig flew into Amsterdam. We spent two great days with Herman and Ton taking in the sights, then off to our Liverpool Adventure - four nights at the Hard Day's Night Hotel right in the centre of swinging Liverpool.

John lives! No, your eyes don't deceive. Lennon look-alike, Alastair Trew with his lovely wife, Sam, spice up the atmosphere at the hotel. We got to hang out for an evening with these two luvlies, and you can bet your boots, when you walk into the Cavern with this pair, all dolled up to look just like the real McCoys, heads turn and cameras flash. Simply fab!

Commemorate

Fourteen years ago today I arrived at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport. Within an hour of arriving I met Martijn. This morning I picked up one of my longest-term best friends, Barbara Craig, at Schiphol airport. Within an hour we were met by Ton Schaap and Herman Rouw, two of the men who became close friends through Martijn. By coicidence exactly 14 years to the day, I am staying a stone's throw from where my romance and one of my most important professional projects began. Bridges of friendship reaching beyond time and space have been built. Circles of life gently turn.