Family

Subtitle: Presence or Presents.

We have a lot and (sometimes) we give a lot.
But is it what is needed and asked for, is it what really makes a difference ?
What I am talking about is what we do, say and how we act in regard to our family and friends.

We all live in a material world, and I am certainly no exception.
The last decades all our wealth has steadily risen to enormous heights,
and our 'free time' (or perception thereof) has declined as it seems to be.

Since 'the month of giving' is now here; Sinterklaas (Netherlands) and Christmas (most of the English speaking world) I feel it's a good time to post my thoughts..

Being a child with parents of different cultures our son grows up with both Sinterklaas (5th of December) and Christmas as a time of receiving presents.
We have said that eventually (when he does not "believe" anymore that there is a mythical figure that distributes presents in the winter), he will have to choose between the 2 occasions.

Funnily enough, especially this year it strikes me, that he is not particularly bothered by the size or 'cost' of a a parcel, but more with 2 other things;
- Who to play with (with the present)
- Who to share his good fortune with
Illustrated in the next anecdote; while opening his first present, Matthew says, while looking at his auntie & the present ...
"I do not think there is a brother in there .."

It is a funny process 'blogging' for me, this post has been in the making for months and changed titles (and content) a couple of times, but I feel I know more clearly what point(s) I want to make.

Because of the privileged world most of us live in nowadays TIME is a real commodity, and what follows from that is our full ATTENTION is sometimes rare.

With the new ways that information now reaches us, all the gadgets & social media on/through them, we sometimes forget about the most important things, the basics of life one could call them.

Being PRESENT during a conversation with your child,loved one,family member on the phone or even during a conversation at work or a discussion at work.
It is really horrible if you keep track of yourself (as I did)for a while and look back at your behaviour during conversations with other people, especially one on one!
I myself am surprised that not many more people have shouted out at me:
" Will you please, LISTEN, to me while I'm talking to you!"
(bet that just that is going to happen from now on;-)

But Awareness is the first step of changing ones Attitude.

So,
When we next buy a present maybe look less at the price tag and think more about the person we buy it for!
And while talking & listening give the other person the time & attention he or she deserves!
To illustrate and underwrite this post somehow, 2 more short video's from
Sarah-Kay (a wonderful wordpoet) and an amazing speech of the 19yr old Zach.

Whoever you are and Wherever you maybe right now and at Christmas, we wish you:

Prettige Kerstdagen en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!

Joyeux Noel et une bonne annee!

Frohe Weihnachten und ein glukliches Neues Jahr!

Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus un laimīgu Jauno gadu!

Merry Christmas dan Happy New Year

С Рождеством и Новым Годом

Feliz Navidad y un Feliz Ano Nuevo

Merry Christmas na Heri na Mwaka Mpya

Merry Christmas va Happy New Year

God Jul och ett Gott Nytt Ar

PS: with thanks to the following people in my life for inspiration for this post.
My wonderful family, both in IJsselstein & Montfoort as well as in Lichfield.
My friends, as well outside as inside the yellow & blue box.
Last but not least my lovely wife and beautiful son!

Week 50 update (dutch & english)

Hej All, vrijdag 16 december 2011

Een korte update over "onze week".

Maandag ochtend hadden we een afspraak bij de notaris om de papieren die "extra"* gevraagd waren uit Kenia te laten legaliseren.
Gelukkig ging dit erg snel en op maandag al weer klaar!

Dinsdag werd ik, (Peter) gebeld door Wereldkinderen of het mogelijk was de papieren woensdag klaar te hebben in Den Haag voor "het rondje Den Haag".
(ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken,min. v. Justitie en Ambassade Kenya)
Dan zouden de papieren vervolgens naar Brussel gaan om het Ethiopische gedeelte daar door het consulaat te laten ondertekenen...
Dus zsm naar de rechtbank in Haarlem, waar tot onze verbazing (!) alles dinsdagavond meteen werd gelegaliseerd terwijl ik wachtte.

Woensdag op en neer naar Den Haag om alles persoonlijk te overhandigen.

En nu de hoop dat alles voor de Kerst in Nairobi ligt, zodat het gehele proces van goedkeuring door the National Adoption Committee kan plaatsvinden en we door kunnen gaan naar de volgende stap!

Gisteren, donderdag een grappige verassing, in een nieuwsbrief stond Matthew al geregistreerd bij de Nederlandse School in Kenia voor Januari!

Prettig Weekend!
___ ____ ____ ____

A short update about "our week".

Monday morning we had an appointment with the notary clerk to legalise all "extra"* papers that were asked for.
That went very well and they were ready that evening!

Tuesday I,(Peter) got a call from Wereldkinderen if we could have the papers in The Hague Wednesday ready for "the Hague loop" the ministeries of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Kenyan Embassy.
Then the papers will go to Brussels to the Ethiopian Consulate.
And from there to Nairobi.
So as quick as I could to the court in Haarlem for legalization there,
And to our big surprise (!) I could wait and all was ready that evening.

Wednesday to the Hague and back to deliver the papers in person.

Hopefully everything will be in Nairobi before Christmas.
After a positive answer from the National Adoption Committee,we can go through to next step in the process !

Yesterday, Thursday a funny surprise we received a newsletter from Kenya and in it Matthew was already listed as a student at the Dutch School in Kenya in January!

Have a good weekend!

* zie/ see the Waiting game.