February 26, 2017
February 26, 2017
The first memory of Wim was in Bussum. He was magic to me. We lived in a very hostile environment due to my father (Wim's stepfather] and when Wim would come the entire atmosphere changed radically. He was like a movie star to us...otherworldly. Wim would entertain and charm us. At dinner he would turn the chair around, straddle it, and say all Canadians ate like this. And I believed him. He would play the Mariachi music and translate the entire album for me. We were a family who often did not talk, and this man - my brother Wim - would sit and smoke his pipe, act out the Mariachi music and I was fascinated by him. He was unique....well loved by all of us. We looked up to him. He was a light - an adventurous hero who guaranteed a calm, conflict free family time.
I remember his lust for life - you'd think he was just getting up in the morning, but he'd actually be just coming home from a night of revelry. There has never been a man who's had that much impact on a child's life, one who could live life to the fullest. He had so much impact on us all.
As an adult, when I was in China, I was putting my thoughts on paper regarding how new and completely different the Chinese culture was to me. Wim was the one who reached out to me and said "Liesbeth, keep writing - this is fascinating". He encouraged me immensely.
At the end of his life Wim would phone me regularly and every time he would tell me how he still had my letters from China and talked about mailing them to me. It seemed when we talked, this would be new to him and he would repeat this as if it were a new conversation - and it was just so kind, that with all of these health issues, knowing that this was the end - that he would take the time to call, encourage me and let me know that I did well with my writing about China.
I hope that when I reach the end of my life, that I can be like Wim...accepting that my life was good, don't cry over it being the end, and spend time with me now. I want to be gracious, calm and be accepting of who I am with no hesitation. Wim was a role model. He was truly interested in people. When we left in December, knowing it would be our last time with him - that was a moment that you never forget. He got up, sang his Mariachi song and did a few dance steps...to make it easier to leave. To make it easier for us to say goodbye. What more can you expect from a brother. I loved my brother.
I remember his lust for life - you'd think he was just getting up in the morning, but he'd actually be just coming home from a night of revelry. There has never been a man who's had that much impact on a child's life, one who could live life to the fullest. He had so much impact on us all.
As an adult, when I was in China, I was putting my thoughts on paper regarding how new and completely different the Chinese culture was to me. Wim was the one who reached out to me and said "Liesbeth, keep writing - this is fascinating". He encouraged me immensely.
At the end of his life Wim would phone me regularly and every time he would tell me how he still had my letters from China and talked about mailing them to me. It seemed when we talked, this would be new to him and he would repeat this as if it were a new conversation - and it was just so kind, that with all of these health issues, knowing that this was the end - that he would take the time to call, encourage me and let me know that I did well with my writing about China.
I hope that when I reach the end of my life, that I can be like Wim...accepting that my life was good, don't cry over it being the end, and spend time with me now. I want to be gracious, calm and be accepting of who I am with no hesitation. Wim was a role model. He was truly interested in people. When we left in December, knowing it would be our last time with him - that was a moment that you never forget. He got up, sang his Mariachi song and did a few dance steps...to make it easier to leave. To make it easier for us to say goodbye. What more can you expect from a brother. I loved my brother.