Maastricht Revisited2

What greater luxury is there than to have time? Time to think, time to be, time to be present, time to truly converse, to be present with another/others. I am indulging in this luxury for now. My return to my ‘other’ city on the River Maas has been flowing at a leisurely pace. Unhurried, unhurried. How much of my former life was spent rushing from ‘pillar to post’! Like so many, I valued myself over how busy I was, how many appointments and duties I had. Thus, I am cherishing the liquidly unreality of simply being back in this medieval town where so much of my present life has unfolded.

The quality of my time is here is rich. My friends and family here converse about ‘charged’ topics. Politics and poverty, immigration and discrimination, finance and food are typically discussed with rich nuances. People here consider art and culture - full stop. The word consider is the loaded verb of the last sentence. The shape of that or the color of this. Its placement and so on are customary topics. The value of things are not talked about with a focus on what a thing costs, but what it contributes, either to life or well-being. Okay, not all the time, but I love the worldliness and interest in the world that my friends here illicit. The word civilized comes to mind.

And so I happily meet, greet, eat and talk with dear friends, family and acquaintances, easily falling into one of the multiple side walk cafes or restaurants. And so it goes.

Ursula with friend Tom on his terrace in Huegem.

Ursula along the Maas River by the Province House.

Pia’s home in Berg en Terblijt, just outside Maastricht.

Pia and friends cooking it up for her 50th birthday celebration.

Indira and Rob with me at Selexyz Bookstore for our mini-EPA Masters reunion.

Indira, Rob and I in front of our old faculty at Grote Gracht 82.

My sister-in-law, Irma, at an exhibit at the Timmerfabric in Maastricht. Big cups!

Irma and Jan, a moment of marital bliss.

De familie: Irma, Jan and nephew Tjeiu, on a terrace in Maastricht.