Another Chapter

Yesterday, Guus sent us (his sisters and me) a text message. He had just heard he had been awarded his Masters in Law, and with a very good score. On 28 March he will receive his degree at a ceremony and I might be the proudest father in the hall. In his 25 years he has enjoyed many chapters, the charming young boy, the keen school student, the fanatic football player (and Ajax supporter), law student and now masters graduate. A new chapter will soon start on an open page that only he can write.

 

When I was 25, I was in the middle of a PostDoc in London, unaware of the big adventure that awaited me. New York, California, Shell, my own company and three remarkable children. On reflection, it is good that the book often writes itself. I see my role as with one hand on the tiller but not using it all the time (odd I use this metaphor since I hate boats). Life has been kind to me but also extremely cruel. The bad times also come unannounced and stick around longer. But today I am grateful, happy that all three children got “there” using their own intelligence and a lot of hard work.

   

My role now fades to an occasional adviser, waiting to be asked but happy if I am not. I have written about this several times in my blogs, letting go more and more every year but being around to warn of holes in the road or a ceiling about to collapse. That is how my father did it (I think). I still regret not having all those conversations with him before he died so young. He was a great teacher in so many ways.

But this is about Guus today. It is short but underlines why I am so curious about the chapters to come. May I see a few before I too pass away.