I'll miss you, Simon.

I'll miss you, Simon.

The last time I spoke and joked with Simon was at the opening of Arjan's budo dojo in Haarlem - I had no idea that he was ill, he was in his usual good spirits, so I was shocked today when I got a facebook link from Bartosz about the celebration. I'm sorry I won't be able to attend, but I wish to extend my condolences to Simon's family and friends.

I first met Simon in 1992 when I joined Erik Louw's Aiki-Dojo in the Govert Flinckstraat. I always took the Monday classes with Simon, because his style was so different from Erik's - relaxed and almost lazily he would flick someone around the dojo - and his style greatly influenced my own aikido.

I remember that I had been practicing aikido for just a few years, I think I was only 4th kyu, when Simon called up out of the blue to fill in for him at his beginners class in Haarlem. After I agreed and put down the phone I became terrified that I would do something stupid and get one of his pupils hurt, so I focused on tenchi-nage to avoid people throwing other people against the walls of the tiny dojo.

Back then, Simon still had Creatrix in Amsterdam and I would drop by the workshop regularly for a coffee and a chat. When he stopped teaching in Amsterdam and he gave up his workshop in Amsterdam, I saw him less and less, but whenever we met he was always his congenial self.

I will remember you always, Simon, thanks for believing in me.

Martyn van Halm

Pre-Conflict Control

Amsterdam

TO SIMON WITH LOVE

for all you have been for us and with us
Judith Pertz

Aikido family

Simon, for me the one word that springs most to mind when thinking about him is joy. Joy in aikido, joy in live.

That great smile of his on the mat, was what attracted me to aikido and what made me stay. He is the one person I know that failed an aikido exam for smiling too much.

But aikido for Simon was much more than smiling and laughing, it was also a way of live. He truly felt that aikido could save the world, and if not that, it could save the people close to him, his aikido family. He enjoyed this family very much and he liked it thoroughly when we would bring our kids with us to practice. A disturbance they might have been, never a nuisance to him.

 

Luckily we got to spend time with him as much on the mat as off the mat. We have spend countless nights eating, drinking, playing games (cosmics!) and talking. Yes, drinking and talking, most important.

 

No, most important is family, and especially his own. We wish Liduina, Tasmin, Maya and Galen all the strength they need in this difficult time.

 

Simon we miss you terribly. Thanks for teaching us all we know about aikido, and thanks for teaching us much we know about live. In the words of Karel (our three year old and namesake (Charles)):  "Ik vind het helemaal niet leuk dat Simon niet meer leeft."  What more can one say...

 

love, Johanneke, Quirijn, Karel en Toon

Mixed

It's a surreal moment – learning that your best mate has left our world to go enjoy his next adventure. A massive mix of emotions. Sadness of course, as I will miss the teachings, laughs, crazy times (and man were some of them crazy – remember blamange roads in Belgium Simon???!) and of course the friendship of one of life's true gentle men.

Love and thoughts of course must go out to Liduina, Tasmin, Maya and Galen; all amazing people that didn't waver, and made Simon as comfortable as humanly possible (in fact more so) and kept us all up to date in an honourable manner as well as dealing with their own grief – all in all a bloody amazing group of people. 

Many people have written far more than I ever can. I miss you mate, but you know that. Enjoy what you are doing now, those of us still here will look after those close to you that need it, so don't worry on that front. Go do your stuff and, the universe permitting, I'll see you soon…

Oh Yes ! - a Blatant rip off – but some words that, in my mind sum up the brilliant, mad, naughty, fearsome, sensitive, force of nature that IS Simon Charles Deering:

A person who
In any situation 

Perceives the truth with resignation
Would never need to draw his sword in haste

Enjoy my friend – whoever, wherever you are teaching.

Doug