“Dixitque Deus fiat lux et facta est lux”
Ideo possum cum luce pingere
At a wedding last week I met Timen Lalkens in the beautiful St. Bavo cathedral in my home town Haarlem. That very morning I had decided to begin my series, “Life”, and started my search for interesting stories. Encountering Mr. Lalkens felt very comfortable. Timen is a formal, wonderful and heart-warming person.
We had a good chat, in which he offered to show me “his” beautiful cathedral, where he does guidance every Wednesday. He did so after I admitted it was my very first time inside the cathedral. I realized he was the ideal person to start my series with, and today, he proved me right.
Timen is a singer (baritone) , a poet, a registrar (of weddings in Haarlem & Heemstede) and a host in the two beautiful Bavo churches in Haarlem, but most of all, he strikes me as an epicurean. “To enjoy life” seems to be written on his forehead, whenever he talks about the things he loves.
I just let him talk. And I learn. He shows me the beautiful stories in stained glass, the amazing carvings and all the fine details.
He shows me, for the first time in my life, the beauty of faith. When he speaks about those stories, they come to life. Also for the first time in my life, I consider reading the bible. I realize, however, that the way the bible is written is probably not one for me. So he speaks, and I simply enjoy.
Thank you, Timen.
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