11 thoughts on “John Stubbs”

1. I met John in the Amsterdam center. There are many moments I remember: his soft, kind voice during our meetings and discussions, good directions on my search for the miraculous. Rilke is also my favourite:

   Ein Gott vermags. Wie aber, sag mir, soll
   ein Mann ihm folgen durch die schmale Leier?

2. Thank you, John, for all that you gave. I remember a conversation we had when you were preparing for one of your trips from Buenos Aires to Apollo. I asked where you were going, and you answered “I’m going home.”

   “It takes Influence C to get the astral body home,
   in the present.”
   Love, Robert

3. John Stubbs, stalwart, reliable student, library volunteer for many years who insisted each student memorize their patron number.

   There is only one art, that which is beautiful and natural. The true realism, always and everywhere is that of the poets: to find where joy resides and give it a voice. For to miss joy is to miss all.

   Robert Louis Stevenson

4. My Joyful Times with John Stubbs

   John Stubbs joined the Fellowship in the spring of 1981, about three months after me. We got along well from the start and I continue cherishing fond memories of our friendship.

   When John joined the School, he was a family man in his early forties, working full-time as a computer programming professional. He lived with his wife and daughters in Gouda at the time. He commuted to work, made frequent visits to the events in Amsterdam, and made extra efforts that ordinary people would not even consider.

   How very ready John was for the School when he joined! He was always quite active mentally, had common sense and naturally practised the Fourth Way principles. Serving as the centre’s bookkeeper in Amsterdam, for example, he carried funds and administration in a plastic shopping bag, avoiding attention for these valuable goods. John was also a very modern man. In the 1980s, long before smartphones or touchscreens, he was the first person I knew who kept an electronic agenda.

   What I remember most about John is almost child-like curiosity and enthusiasm (which he would hold until the end!) continuously probing new intellectual, emotional and practical dimensions of the System, the Work and the Universe. He brought considerable scale and intelligence to the great riddles of existence while challenging his being. John was keen to communicate and he did so in such a friendly and open way that one felt very welcome to participate in his quests. Whenever someone translated a Work Idea into a practical experiment, he took the challenge. The next time he would share his observations.

   There were meetings twice a week in our early School days at the Herengracht teaching house on Tuesday and Friday evenings. John consistently attended those. After plenary meetings, smaller groups were formed to further discuss meeting ideas in a more participatory way. John enjoyed these ‘small groups’ a lot.

   Many an evening, after the meeting, John and I usually continued our discussions. At the time, John and I had quite different rôles in life (an art student in his twenties and an established family man in his forties) and this proved very helpful in exploring objective Work Ideas from different angles. It was no exception that he would offer a ride in his car on his way home, just to be together longer and preserve the meeting energies. I willingly accepted these invitations to ride him (without any practical necessity, having come by bicycle within Amsterdam). Parked near my home we continued our discussions for another twenty-five minutes or so before John’s one-hour-plus commute back to Gouda. He was like a friendly puppy wagging its tail for more discourse and extending School Time. On such evenings he must have arrived home pretty late…

   Almost four decades later – in a telephone conversation between Holland and Argentina – John and I both felt like surprisingly few years had passed in our long friendship. This happens when kindred characters find each other and bond with a common interest: evolving as students, staying simple and continuing to wag our tails. I hope our souls will meet again in or outside of time.

   Love, Hubert

5. Thought of you dear friend when we were driving home from town tonight as we made our way around that curving piece of highway 20 where you had an accident once upon a time. In fact that strip of road often reminds me of you. It felt good to remember so many moments shared and to be able to visit this page now. Rest well dear friend. Looking forward to our next meeting.
   With love & thanks,
   Diane

6. John’s sweet solar soul was able to bring our inner child to the present moment.
   Thank you for sharing your Light
   With Love
   Juliana

7. Parabéns John por ter entrado no grupo das mentes livres, ainda neste plano de existência, que circulam no mundo promovendo o Ser.

8. Parabéns John, por ter entrado no grupo dos cidadãos do mundo e compartilhar suas experiencias conosco.

9. Caro John, grazie per la tua bella anima!

10. When I think of John I see him as a bright light, full of love and enthusiasm.
    We will all miss that in him, but wish John a beautiful passage to his new adventure.
    Love, Marcia

11. You have shown how to be kind, loving and stay focused on what is most important in our lives. Thank you John.