Full Circle
02/23/2008
Janez Drnovšek at the March for Food 2007 (photo by dr. Fil)
An era of Slovenian politics reached an end tonight as quietly and inconspicuously as the main actor in this particular stage production probably would have wanted.
Whether you agreed with him or not or rather no matter at what time of his life you would have seen eye to eye on an issue, the man had a certain style. I cannot pretend to have known him, even though such presumptions come to us easily and naturally when prominent public figures are concerned, but who he was and what he did had a major influence on my life as well as any other citizen of Slovenia.
I sit in the park in front of the Karlskirche in Vienna, bathing in warm sunshine and I find myself pondering once more over what is truly important. And I think of all the people who have enriched my life in just the past two days.
I think about the medical doctor who made it a point to make me smile early in the morning. I think about the HRM officer struggling with corporate helplines as her respiration machine failed. I think about the Bulgarian lady who is leaving her home and family and coming to work to Germany for a European institution in search of a better life. And about a Romanian girl about to quit her well-paid Luxembourgish job in order to have at least a semi-normal life with her husband who lives in another country. About the Swiss taxi driver in Luxembourg who is saving up to finish his architecture studies in Portugal. About my ex jogging partner who named me dr. Filomena and is now endulging in the sensations of partnership and love after many a failed attempt at forced happinness. I think about the two lovely children I played with last evening and who made me remember what true joy really is while they tickled me half to death. I think about the man I love.
And I realize. Again. It is all about people.
The man whose focus shifted so dramatically from material to spiritual, from things to living creatures, knew. A man of power became a man of inner strength.
Rest in Peace
People Rule
or at least the should
Edit: Go to Pengovsky’s blog for a comprehensive post on the -very full- life of JD.
Adriaan said,
February 23, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
Dr Fil,
You’ve given me reason to do something I rarely do: Stop and think.
As someone who has a tendency to do, then think, this comes as a bit of a shock.
But you’re right. It is ALL about people. It’s just a shame that this fact is so easy to forget.
pengovsky said,
February 23, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
We never forget… It’s just that we take too many things for granted these days. And then events like this jolt us into thinking about what really matters. The man knew.
lisa said,
February 23, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
Beautifully said.
Dr. Filomena » Remembrance said,
February 25, 2008 @ 10:50 am
[…] already posted about him on Saturday in Full Circle and […]
Global Voices Online » Slovenia: RIP Janez Drnovšek said,
February 26, 2008 @ 12:56 am
[…] mourned former president Janez Drnovšek today; Sleeping with Pengovsky and Dr. Filomena paid tribute to the man who “has influenced Yugoslav and Slovenian politics profoundly, […]
Dr. Filomena » Another Circle Completed, a New One Begins said,
February 23, 2009 @ 8:07 pm
[…] of Slovenian statesman Janez Drnovšek who had gone through many a transformation in his life. I posted my thoughts on the subject from a cybercafé, using a photo I’d saved in my drafts months […]
Dr. Filomena » Circles Make Dizzy said,
February 24, 2010 @ 12:51 am
[…] of the late Janez Drnovšek, he had my respect and possibly surprisingly so I felt saddened by his passing. As a year went around, so many things changed and so many things stayed the same. And, as years […]