A Tropical Full Moon

This week it was full moon and there are many sayings when it comes to this natural phenonmenon. There is a group of people who believewhen it is full moon many things can happen. Some expected things, some less expected. Looking back at the last 7 days I do think that it was for sure a very extra ordinary week. Many events have taken place with above in the sky this reappearing natural act. And the tropical temperatures only add up to the rather explosive content of this hit list:

1. Marianne Thyssen, the leading lady of one of our major political parties decided to call it the day. After a less succesful 'voting box adventure' she decided to resign and leaving behind a party in need of a new leader. According to one of our rather wrinkled lady-politicians Miet Smet, Marianne made the right decission. But she also stated in the same newspaper article that the CD&V had underestimated the importance of being a very close team that sticks together. Marianne felt very lonely in the harsh world of politics and will now perhaps want to go back to the European Parliament where she is able to work in a rather 'eassier' environment. Loser: The CD&V losing a very capable lady in need of a real team!

2. Obamma sacked one of his leading army officers. The war out there in Afghanistan seems not to be a pic nic out in the dessert. And commander McChrystal seemed to have a hard time with the way some leading government officials were handling the war. Of course you can think critical under Obamma but calling it out very loudly is on other cup of tea. So a press conference was called and the American president thanked him for the delivered services. I doubt it that he will ever give an other interview for Rolling Stone or even buy the magazine. Loser: Rolling Stone Magazine, losing one of their high profile subscribers.

3. Wimbledon got Royal visitors. Funny pictures all over the net of tennis players who tried to behave very knightly and lady like while Queen Elizabeth was sitting out there in the Royal Box. History was written that day not on center court but it were Mahut and Ishner who managed to set the record straight when it comes to the longest tennis match. After playing more then 11 hours and 183 games it was Isner who was able to cover his spotless white shirt with the holy grass. Loser: Hard to say!! Both players got into the World Book of Records and not just once!

4. Prince Albert of Monacco finally decided (perhaps after attending the Royal wedding in Sweden) that he had to get an engagement ring for his South African girl friend Charlene Wittstock. Seems that this sporty girl managed to make him realise that there comes a day that you won't fit in a very tight wedding tux. The difference in age (20) and the amount of hair growth seems not to be a real issue amongst these two love birds. Guess he will be on a crash diet the next 12 months. Loser: Hopefully Albert when it comes to loosing weight!

5. The diocese of Mechelen and the arch bisshop got a less nice visit. The impressing police force made the staff hand over their mobile phones and took possession of all the computers. They even pushed some cameras in some tombs. What they were looking? Hard to say but for sure there most be something 'rotten' in the Church. Loser: Needless to say!! But even the cathedral won't gain something out of this Da Vinci Code-like story unless they would have found a secret code in some of the coffins!!

6.The English National football team lost against Germany with very convincing figures: 4-1. But you can be sure that history was written on that field out there in South Africa. Because once more one of the referees seemed to be blind while running up on down the field. Hey, that was over the line!!!!! 2-2 or 2-1 before half time it does make it an difference! And hey, for once I did think that David Beckham looked very handsome out there! Loser: The FIFA big boss Sepp Blatter who seems to think that he is the king of the field and perhaps needs to have the referees check more frequently their eyesight!

7. Our open school day that ended in a very abruptly way. On Friday evening while we were getting ready to serve food for more then 300 people I was the witness of a hizzing sound and all I remember was suddenly a huge flame. A big gass explosion caused a fire to the food stall. A few minutes later I was standing out there on the grass field with collegues who seemed so lost. I did end up being in shock because I was not standing that far of where the explosion was.

Recalling that day will be always hard because it was a day full of mixed emotions. Like stated many times in previous posts I do feel not that upbeat at work anymore. It has not been the most happy place on world to spend my time. Many of my collegues turned into strangers or even the new ones were not that compatible as I wished for. Dissapointment was the major word when discussing my job.

Well, sometimes you need a wake up call to refocus. Guess that the six current affairs did respond to their personal call. But the difference between number 7 and all the rest is that I did experience something that you can't bottle up in cases of an emergency, or what you can rely on when you are playing a grand slam tennis match, it also had nothing to do with faith in its churchlike context, it had nothing to do with false words or criticism, it even did not involve any blind referees or an overweight prince who seemed to run ouf of time.

No, that night I did feel part of a team. And that was a long team ago. When I drove home around midnight I suddenly saw the full moon and did I realise that things can always change in a blast and that it only takes one second to change your personal direction in life!

When I read the final part of Miet Smet her personal insights on Marianne her decision I must say that I do sympathise with her. Because in times of crises you need so badly others and this unconditionally. You need the team and go for it even when the heat is on. I can proudly state that on the tropical evening I did feel part of a very close knit team. Hopefully I can hold on to that feeling for the months to come.

So in this last case I do not think there are real losers. Still, one wounded is perhaps one too many. But it all could have been much worse. And yes, I admit it when I got home I was so happy to hear A his heart beat and that I found P his arms who welcomed me back home. I did sleep that night with the curtains open and our bed room was filled up with moonlight. From this week on full moon stands for so much more!

P.S.: For the people who understand Dutch, this is for me the major part of the piece Miet Smet wrote about Marianne.

"Marianne stond er alleen voor, maar ze heeft standgehouden zelfs in het Kopstukkendebat toen ze letterlijk uitgefloten is door de achterban van N-VA. Ze stond er helemaal, maar ook helemaal alleen. Misschien heeft CD&V het belang van een ploeg onderschat. Een ploeg versterkt, bevestigt en geeft vertrouwen. De kiezer heeft die ploeg nooit gezien, laat staan gevoeld.

Mist de CD&V leidersfiguren of zijn het allemaal ego's die hun energie steken in het tegen elkaar opbotsen? Neen. CD&V heeft potentieel, heel veel potentieel. Alleen wordt het dringend tijd dat we ons gaan bezinnen over de manier waarop we dat potentieel tot een ploeg kunnen kneden. Een sterke ploeg." (Miet Smet, bron website De Standaard)