When I’m Sixty Four

I agree. It’s an open door.

The Founders of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band offered me a helping hand with opening, composing and sharing this Birthday Blogpost.

It makes me melancholy

Because mental and fysical maturity don’t go hand in hand when you are getting older. On one hand one is walking the dusty road towards Oblivion. On the other hand, being alive and kicking, providence offers one the ability to make peace with that fact.

Whatever may happen.

I really turned 64 today.

And I am grateful

No, not because of reaching this age.

I am grateful

For the fact that people who became sick, became better again. Grateful for the people who passed away last year, whom we will never forget, meant so much to us. Grateful for the fact that despite everything I was able to work and travel with people. I am grateful for resilience. Grateful for the healing powers of self. Grateful for Santiago de Compostela. Grateful for my family, wife, sons, Estelle. I am grateful for the fact that I can smuther myself in the love and friendship of lots of people around the world and the love I can give to them. Because we took good care of each other in 2021. With Love and Attention.

And if you thought about me today

I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without you, this day would not have been the same.

What is the connection between my day of birth, Château Mondou and the year 2022?

I am here, today @ Villeneuve sur Lot and Château Mondou @ 64

My spouce Marie-Anne and I, we are going to make a dream come true. And given our age, this will be the last trick in our working lives. A house in the South of France, with three Holiday Cottages which we will rent out to tourists, friends, colleagues and family. Because quitting with doing what you like most, what most people call working, was never what we were aiming for and is not a given thing for us. Not yet.

We started two weeks ago

With breaking down and rebuilding. We are true fans of the TV-program, Ik Vertrek. We enjoyed watching people buy houses in France and feeling stressed out about the state their new houses where in and the crazy amount of work they had to put in there. Because their minds were on a pink cloud when they signed for it. And now, now it all happened to us. We spent 10 days throwing the inheritance of the former owner out of the windows and moving other people’s energy out of the same windows by burning sage.

Nevertheless

From this summer on, we will be renting out these wonderful three Holiday Homes. With everything that makes you happy. Making fires on two acres of land and the courtyard. Cooking in the same courtyard. Visiting ancient villages. Reading a book. Watching Church Owls flying over our terrain. And, as you can see, you can also practice your swimming skills. We hope to welcome you here. One day.

? Chateau Mondou

No

I am not quitting working in The Netherlands and other countries. During autumn and winter I will keep on doing that from our place and office in Amsterdam. And my partner Harry and I, we have lots of trainings and learning experiences planned, once we are allowed to travel and work with groups again.

Because without you, life just means nothing

I wish all of you a good and prosperous 2022. That’s the luxury of being born on the 4th of January: you can combine these memorable days and wishes.

I will do my utmost best

To feed you with Love and Trust.

Because whatever may come, today I am taking the freedom to bend the lyrics of this great song just a little.

For the sake of our friendship.

I will still need you

When I’am Sixty Four.