ljubljana

I went to Ljubljana last month, finding it the rather prosperous and 'fully European' capital of Slovenia. This was almost exactly 30 years after my father was inspired by what he saw in what was then still Yugoslavia--as yet untorn by war and dissolution.

Dad had been a consultant to the International Centre for Public Enterprises in Developing Countries, in Ljubljana. Throughout 1980 to 1982, he spent his time there on conferences and training. He also worked with the Centre on various management training projects in Karachi, then 'West' Berlin, and Kuala Lumpur.

I explained the family connection to a Slovenian colleague, who speculated that the link could have come by way of Yugoslavia's active involvement in the Non-Aligned Movement as one of its founders.

He wrote here about spring while he was in the midst of autumn. The Alpine vista seemed to evoke a yearning for some elusive repose. Perhaps he was simply depicting a struggle to hold fast to a dream during that moment between unconsciousness and consciousness, holding fast to the moments before the day has to begin.

I myself longed to savor Ljubljana a little longer, but couldn't as, indeed, "in the morning the players depart, somewhere other players are about to start."