My grandfather is a hero. He has not been alive for years, but when he was alive he was an example of curiosity and innovation. He continued to ask me questions well into his old age. About my studies, about what it was like to live in Utrecht… Again and again he looked over the edge of what was already known to him.
At the age of 83, email came along. He quickly got an email address. He wrote a response to every email I sent. That took a lot of effort, as a man who grew up with ‘Aap Noot Mies’ and the dip pen. But he did it, for all his eighteen grandchildren.
‘Looking over the edge of what you already know’ – I have now made it a habit. Why? Because I believe that I can only help others innovate if I regularly step out of my groove myself. Experiencing the discomfort of change. From physical and/or mental challenge. Which, by the way, always goes hand in hand with the pleasure of learning or doing something new.
In 2021 we designed and renovated our house.
In 2022 I published my first book.
In 2023 I was in the pool every week to finally learn the front crawl properly.
Last weekend I was and slept alone in the open air for 24 hours. Under the expert guidance of Henrik Looij, Ellen Dekkers and Erik Slotboom, I participated in a vision quest. Dealing with the cold, reflecting on my own patterns and desires were all part of the experience. I came out of the forest with a clear plan.
Nice symbolism is that that program took place on the ground where my grandfather lived most of his life.