Friend Profiles #2 - Jan Paul DePont
Know to many as the "neck-breaker" because of the unusal angle at which the majority of men must crane their necks to make eye contact with him, Jan Paul (henceforth JP) is one of my greatest and oldest friends. JP and I met in 2000 when we both enrolled in the IB program at St. Clares International College in Oxford, England. JP and I were members of the closest circle of friends I have ever had. Said circle included Michel, Carli, Petie, JP and Myself. JP is Dutch, born and raised in at town outside of Amsterdam called Bussom. Yep. Ha.
JP has achieved the most equitable balance between work and play that I have ever witnessed. He was not an A+ student, but he did extremely well at school and managed to get into one of the most competitive universities in the Netherlands. Always a hit with the ladies, and always open to the idea of another beer, JP makes having fun an art.
It surprised me to find out that beyond his very personable demenor and partying ways, JP was a sensitive soul. He struggled with the notion of losing his viriginity and the implications that such an act would have on his life. I, on the other hand, lost my virginity with barely a second thought to a drunk indian lady (who insisted on calling me Robbie) during a high-school trip to Rhode Island. He also treats his relationships - both romantic and friendly - as something sacred, something to be forever valued, and as a living, breathing, entity seperate from himself.
These marks of JP's character showed through most vividly in the aftermath of Peter Lang's passing. Peter Lang, our great friend, died aged 20 of cancer in 2001. JP, his roomate, served as an intermediary between Petie's family and the school, and read a letter to Petie at the funeral service. I remember a conversation a few years ago when I asked JP if he still called Petie's family on the anniversary of Petie's death. He said that he did not, that he did not wish to burden himself or Petie's family with the memory of such a painful day. Instead, he thinks of Peter at the moments when he is happiest, and is confident that his family does the same. It struck me as a very sound, very simple, very profound philosophy. And just such a man is JP.
JP is in Scotland at present, finishing up his MBA, but he found time to come visit when I was in Cambridge and I plan on seeing him as soon as I can.
JP has achieved the most equitable balance between work and play that I have ever witnessed. He was not an A+ student, but he did extremely well at school and managed to get into one of the most competitive universities in the Netherlands. Always a hit with the ladies, and always open to the idea of another beer, JP makes having fun an art.
It surprised me to find out that beyond his very personable demenor and partying ways, JP was a sensitive soul. He struggled with the notion of losing his viriginity and the implications that such an act would have on his life. I, on the other hand, lost my virginity with barely a second thought to a drunk indian lady (who insisted on calling me Robbie) during a high-school trip to Rhode Island. He also treats his relationships - both romantic and friendly - as something sacred, something to be forever valued, and as a living, breathing, entity seperate from himself.
These marks of JP's character showed through most vividly in the aftermath of Peter Lang's passing. Peter Lang, our great friend, died aged 20 of cancer in 2001. JP, his roomate, served as an intermediary between Petie's family and the school, and read a letter to Petie at the funeral service. I remember a conversation a few years ago when I asked JP if he still called Petie's family on the anniversary of Petie's death. He said that he did not, that he did not wish to burden himself or Petie's family with the memory of such a painful day. Instead, he thinks of Peter at the moments when he is happiest, and is confident that his family does the same. It struck me as a very sound, very simple, very profound philosophy. And just such a man is JP.
JP is in Scotland at present, finishing up his MBA, but he found time to come visit when I was in Cambridge and I plan on seeing him as soon as I can.
posted by Bradford at 2:22 PM
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Robbie??
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