Here are a few words written by Dallis Radamaker on the
memorial for
the NUUF magazine “Pilgrim”.
Sunday, August 5th about twenty friends of
Jim Holbrook met with his son, Addison, and ex-wife,
Veronique, in the Amsterdamse Bos for an outdoor
memorial service. Jim was a member of NUUF for the past
several years and a friend of mine for much longer. He
died, aged 55 years, in a diving accident off Monterey,
California, on July 7th, but it was his life
and the friendships and acts of lovingkindness he
inspired and shared with his friends and family (two
ideas that are merging into each other for many of us)
that they came to remember.
Everyone
brought or found something to anchor a story about Jim
and we built
an altar for him composed of these bits and pieces – a
stick of redwood from California, a seashell, some
volcanic rock, incense, a bit of a tree that resembled
a step, to symbolize Jim’s love of the forest and of all
naturalness, and his feeling that these things could be
steps to a higher plane of existence, a copy of his only
published book. Veronique told us of their twenty five
years of friendship.
Marriage had given them their son, but friendship had
outlasted marriage and
held them together even when apart. She told us how much
she will miss him. Addison told us about walking behind
his father in the mountains and having
the impression that Jim moved as the wind blew,
responding to the natural
forces
around him as the trees did. There were stories about
Jim as the
“Green Man” at a NUUF Druid service, of Jim’s chess
playing, his drumming
and of how all this formed part of his lifelong search
for spiritual openness
and fulfillment.
Bill Britt told the non-Unitarians about our custom of
lighting candles of joy or concern for one another, and
lit one for Jim which became part of the altar.
Rosemary Horn had a bright, hand colored cloth and a
story for him. Lynn Horowitz remembered his enthusiasm
and supportiveness. I read a page from Jim’s novel
“Dishwater Blue” about a character who suddenly
disappears and about how unprepared we all are for such
sudden exits. Alan Broad, whose care had brought us all
together here, closed off with one of his songs that Jim
had especially loved. After this sharing, the bread and
wine and fruit were brought
out and we told each other more Jim stories while we
picnicked in the grass.
By our presence we made a gift of our love to carry Jim
along wherever his
journey has taken him now. Veronique and Addison, some
of that is for you too.
Derek has made some fine pictures of the memorial which
you can see at
http://www.nuuf.nl/pics/memorial/
