Greetings from the Netherlands
This week, I’m writing from Holland.
Yep, I’m on another continent.
There is sometihing about traveling that feeds my soul and this trip is reminding me of that in all the best ways. I just don’t get to see cathedrals like this walking around my town in the middle of cornfields in Indiana. Much as I’d like to imagine it, it’s not the case.
I also don’t see markers like this reminding us of the Jews who were taken from their homes and often killed. I found these in Amsterdam, but have also seen them in Germany and Italy. It means that when I’m strolling in cities in Europe I often keep an eye out to see if I will see them in new places. Each time I do, my heart is pinched again. We’re staying in Utrecht for a conference I’m presenting a paper at, and I haven’t seen the little squares, but I did find a larger memorial.
It was sobering to stand in front of the wall of 1200 names and read some of them and note the ages of the victims. I hope I never lose the solemnity that comes from being confronted with this and other atrocities. These are constant reminders of how much we all need the saving power and grace of God active in our lives. Saturday Eric and I will go to the Corrie ten Boom house in Haarlem. She and her family have been heroes of mine since the first time I read The Hiding Place. It didn’t look like we’d be able to get tickets, but we were able to get two for Saturday, and I am so excited. I know it will be impactful.
Today Eric and I took the train into Amsterdam for another museum I didn’t think we’d actually get to visit, the van Gogh museum. The buy ahead tickets are sold out for weeks, but I wanted to try and see if day of tickets were possible, and if not there’s another museum near that I thought we could go to. I was DELIGHTED to learn we could get tickets — basically walk up — when we arrived. It felt like a kiss from heaven. It was a wonderful museum. So, so glad we took the chance. Worth it!
As was the Rijksmuseum. It had a much broader array of art and was also wonderful. As our 20-year-old told us, it wouldn’t be a Putman adventure without plenty of art!
Do I have time to be away right now? No. But I need this time? Yes. My soul craves looking around corners and finding new things. It’s hard to explain, but hardwired into me. And in the day and a half of exploring bits of Amsterdam and Utrecht I can already feel fresh creativity. It’s a good thing, because I have so much writing to do in the next two months. But there’s something to getting out of routines and finding space for new explorations. I hope you’ve enjoyed this quick peek!
