31st
Stark Contrast
The memories I have of Sundays during my childhood are pretty consistent, and what a contrast with the Sundays I have enjoyed the last 15 years.
As I remember Sundays at Dorsersstraat 58, we went to church pretty regularly. We’d head to the local Gereformeerde Kerk (here’s their current website) 
where I’d hope that this was the week when they offered a ”Children Concurrent Service.” Sometimes during those weeks the children would be dismissed from Big Church and get to wreak havoc on the poor children’s volunteers. (Okay, the wreaking of havoc was something just I loved doing I guess). What’s that about karma? I don’t believe in karma, just so you know.
In the afternoons, I spent a lot of times just… playing. Playing outside and inside up in my third-floor bedroom. There was no or very little children’s programming on Dutch TV on Sunday afternoons (most of the dial was occupied by soccer matches from around the country). In addition, my parents were pretty heavy smokers, add the Sunday afternoon friends who also brought some packs, and the small first floor living room/kitchen area was soon blue with cigarette smoke. I remember those Sunday Afternoon Headaches pretty clearly. So it was no surprise that I loved being upstairs or outside!
Now, the weather in Holland is pretty… nasty for a large part of the year. So I recall that we put on rubber boots, rain jackets and other weather-fighting apparrell in order to be comfortable. Then we’d head out and found ways to spend the time with various “activities.” They ranged from shooting “rozenbottel” berries and other white berries through modified PVC pipes, to riding bikes, playing soldier to building fires to other “adventures.”
And of course, part of the day was spent avoiding any contact with so-called bullies. Not sure what those kids ever did, I just remember how scared we were!
Contrast this with the Sundays of the past 15 years… heading to church early in the morning, setting up classrooms, checking voice mails, emails and making sure the children’s classrooms are ready for learning to take place. Then, heading home to… if the stars align… take the Nap Of The Week. I love Sunday afternoon naps! My life is so boring now. He he he.
