#374: SPOTLIGHT: Jörgen van der Sloot

Question for Jörgen:

There is an idea that we can learn from every single person on the planet.  But there are also deeply ingrained habits we have been trained in that “teachers” have a formal designation which might limit our scope for learning.  With that thought, does someone come to mind in the past five weeks that you wouldn’t consider a “formal” teacher at all but who you learned something special from… (perhaps even someone you aren’t even fond of) ?

Jörgen's Response:

I have an older friend. He’s in his late sixties and I’ve known him from a company I worked for some thirty years ago. We got back in touch with each other a few years ago after not having seen each other for over a decade. I now see him every few months when we go for a walk outside in nature. He’s not a teacher in the traditional sense of the word, but I learn great lessons from him. 

Just this week I was with him again, on a walk in the morning of a foggy day. Currently, I find myself in a period in my professional life that I’m struggling with ‘retiring from my current role or position’ in my company. He said to me, after he had listened silently to my ‘rant’ about why I felt I had failed: “It is not you, your purpose, or the original idea that you had, that has failed you. It’s the plan or context that you created around it that doesn’t work for you anymore. Your passion and purpose in life is still there and still meaningful for the world around you. Retire from the plan, not the purpose!”
The comment struck me like a lightning bolt, and it felt as if the fog in my head instantly cleared (even though it remained misty outside the rest of the entire morning). It will stay with me for a long time, and I thank him dearly for pointing it out to me.

Amanda’s thought…

Jörgen, reading your writing makes me think more about how wonderful it can be when a relationship with someone is rekindled. But specifically one thing that stood out to me was the setting of this occurrence - outside on a nature walk. I've noticed in my own life that some of the most meaningful or moving conversations for me have happened between the trees or out in the sunshine. Jörgen, your connection with and the ritual you share with this dear friend of yours sounds extremely special. Thank you so much for sharing. 

- AP