best summer ever

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Comment by Bart Neels on May 31, 2014 at 15:11

dear Bjorn and Eva,

We only met shortly last conference, we talked about riding the motorbike as you were ready to head off biking, all the way from Bad Pyrmont to somewhere far up north in England (if I recall well). Amazed by your compromiseless way to live & love the motorbike: no matter what weather you were to cross on your journey, days of rain or moments of sunshine, whatever comes on your path would make your ride worth riding. I very much admired that (myself being a good-weather-only-comfortzone-preferring motorbiker). Something tells me now that this way of yours to live & love doesn't only count for riding a bike...

I am sure you will help me to live my summer at the very best. In a couple of weeks I am having a spine surgery (standard procedure, nothing lifethreatening), that will keep me grounded for about 6 weeks (no car, no bike, ...). So I will start my <best summer ever> by learning to enjoy whatever IS possible to do, by feeding on the joy of being with the people who will surround me. And I'll be connected to you both, with all my heart. There's so much to learn, this summer.

Comment by Anton Stellamans on May 31, 2014 at 13:44

Remember the first time I told this joke, Björn, in that kitchen in Lenzburg? It was during a break in our first group of six get together. I was cracking up because you were and we had to hold on to one another in order not to fall on the ground from laughing. 

Here it goes again, once more, for you, my dear dear friend.

An older gentleman marries a younger lady, and they are very much in love. However, no matter what the husband does sexually, the women never reaches orgasm. Since he believes his wife is entitled to sexual pleasure, they decide to consult a psychiatrist. The doctor listens to their story, strokes his beard, and makes the following suggestion: “Hire a strapping young man. While the two of you are making love, have the young man wave a towel over you. That will help the wife fantasise and should bring on an orgasm.” They go home and follow the doctor's advice. They hire a handsome young man and he waves a towel over them as they make love. It doesn’t help, and she is still unsatisfied.

Perplexed they go back to the shrink. “Okay,” says he to the husband remembering his training in MRI Brief therapy “let’s try to change the pattern and do it reversed. Have the young man make love to your wife and you wave the towel over them.” Once again, they follow the doctor’s advice.

The young man gets into bed with the wife, and the husband waves the towel frantically. The young man gets to work with great enthusiasm and the wife soon has an enormous, room-shaking, screaming orgasm. 

The husband smiles, looks at the young man and says to him triumphantly, “Schmuck, that’s the way you wave a towel!”

...

Later you lured me on the stage in Texel to tell the joke at the SOL Cabaret... and thanks to you I will always be remembered as Stellamans the towel joke teller. (Which, I suppose, is still better than to be remembered as a horny tiger!) 

I will make any coming season the best summer ever, thinking of you, Björn, and enjoying life, good company, music and jokes for the full 100%.

Comment by Marianne Geurts on May 30, 2014 at 12:13

Yes... To make the world a better place... Thanks Liselotte for sharing your powerful loving words in connection with the remembrance, made by Björn, of our duty to serve the common interest. A couple of weeks ago I went to Denmark and Sweden. Due to connections of Jonas Wells and Jesper Christiansen I could meet some SF-people over there, to get an impression about the system organized around sheltered working places and support for people with special needs and a distance to the labor market.

‘Coincidentally’ the moment I read your words, Liselotte, I am busy preparing my SOL-talk in Stockholm in September about the inclusive society. In the Powerpoint I described my dream very clearly. What drives me is clear. What has to be done is clear. The challenges are clear....

And about these challenges: Especially the challenges to open up the bureaucratic system and to deal with the strong pamper-mentality in the Netherlands are huge. I sometimes lose my faith in the, so tight established order. So thanks again, Björn, for your words about our duty. My motives are coming from deep inside of me. There is no way back. I cannot just stick to the familiar path of living and working. Though it would make my life much easier. Easier to earn money, easier to find a position in society, easier for people to understand what I do. So for now creating ‘our best summer ever’ is helping me to get even more power to continue doing my thing for the common good. In September I will share my story and in between now and then some steps will be made to fulfill parts of my dream of a more inclusive society. 

Comment by Liselotte Baeijaert on May 28, 2014 at 22:43

Dearest friends,  Björn and Eva, 

Just imagine all of us around you, this outstanding SOL community, all the warm love we feel for you, the gratefulness to know you, the laughs about good old jokes (remember the first time Anton shared the towel joke, I sure remember how you were laughing! I can still hear it and laugh out loud even now, when I think of it), and yes, of course we also feel the pain for your pain, the real "not knowing" what to do next, what to think or hope for. But there is still "the best summer ever"!  

A summer where we say meaningful things to one another, express our love and talk about things that matter. The summer where we also have fun and feel connected in the unbearable lightness of being. Let it be a summer where all our hopes and dreams are shared and passed on to all the people we know and who love you so much! 

Do you remember that particular moment, somewhere during our "group of six meetings", where you sat next to me, and suddenly whispered in my ear: "Liselotte, are you happy about what you do for the world out there? Are we doing enough? Look at us, wealthy and well educated, do we really do enough? Do we do what we CAN do, to make this world a better place?"

I remember it very well and I felt surprised, a bit 'poked' and 'stirred', not to say "kicked i. t. a.". You urged us in a very friendly way to think about doing more than we actually did. There was this flame in your eyes, this strong belief that we have a duty not to only serve ourselves. You are one of the very rare persons I know who have had the courage to bluntly talk about things like that. 

I am happy I can tell you that it was not in vain and that I will take it forward. "Our best summer ever" is a summer where I want to act more on what you said and look for where I can make a difference.

The summer is yet to start, and here we are with you. Imagine us all around the two of you, perhaps having good wine and good food, and fun, all summer long...

You are in my heart, in my thoughts and in my acts this  summer and long after that. Let's keep talking. Liselotte       

Comment by Mark McKergow on May 28, 2014 at 19:28

I like very much the way this idea is spreading!  Thank you to everyone who is contributing so far.  I am already finding the idea of 'the best summer ever' inspiring on a personal basis.  Eva was in touch yesterday evening to thank everyone for all the responses from every direction, and said how much all this feedback is giving them both strength and hope. 

Comment by Monika Houck on May 28, 2014 at 17:42

Hello Björn, hello Eva,
Think of you full very mixed feelings - am very sad that Björn's situation is critical and that you have to face pain and weakness.
Send you - like all of us - a tight hug and a very deep bow of respect - as I admire your courage and energy.
Have a very beautiful summer !
We all think of you - may this be one of your good moments!
Head on the floor
Monika

Comment by Niklas Tiger on May 28, 2014 at 14:13

This summer I will get on my mountainbike and enter the Craft Bike Transalp 7 day stage race from Oberammergau to Riva Del Garda, teaming up with my wife Pernilla in the mixed category. We will complete a distance of 582 km and 19227 m of ascent and we will let anyone interested follow our challenge through live tracking over the Internet.  I hope Björn will be one of them and we will cross the finishing line and go for a swim in Lake Garda for him! I am also looking forward to a SOLWorld planning meeting in Karlstad where I hope to share a glass of wine and a laugh with dear friends! 

So there's absolutely no reason why this summer couldn't be the best ever! We will make it the best - whatever happens!

Comment by Birgitta Friberg on May 28, 2014 at 10:04

This summer I will keep up the good training with my horses.

Every time I sit in the saddle Bjorn will be in my mind, remembering his fantastic coaching that really pushed my riding to the next level. I am forever thankful. This will make this summer the best summer ever.

Comment by Bob Faw on May 27, 2014 at 15:21

I live on this lovely pond. I will spend many times relaxing here with my love, and our friends. I'll lift a glass to Bjorn, and all of you.

Comment by Marva Furlongue-Laver on May 27, 2014 at 11:06

I will visit with my mom in the Nursing Home in New York and enjoy and laugh focusing on what is good about the situation and not what I perceive as being lost
Prepare and offer my skills in SF to the wider Social Work a Population in Florida through participation in our State conference.
Nurture and enjoy my relationships with my adult children and grandchildren
Enjoy the blessings of my husband/life partner more walks and mini holidays
Thanks Mike and everyone for sharing and here's to all of us TO LIVE OUR BEST SUMMER YET TO HONOR BJORN.

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