Ian de Beer

Ek is gebore op 20 Augustus, 1955 in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng. Hier het ek groot geword saam met die jong aangeplante bome van dié nuut-gevestigde industriële dorp op die hoëveld van Transvaal.
Ek dink God het uit berge uitgehardloop toe hy in daardie geweste gekom het. Hy het selfs nie eers heuwels oorgehad nie, toe gee hy ons maar die Vaalrivier. Hierdie boomlose, plat grasvlaktes het in my die hunkering na berge, fynbos en see gewek. Dit moes egter eers 30 jaar wag, voor ek, my vrou Analda met drie jong kinders, Dyani, Reghardt en Irené, na Stellenbosch verhuis het (Mourits het vier jaar later, die gesin voltooi).

Op Stellenbosch het ek geleentheid gehad om my kreatiewe drang en entrepeneurskap te gebruik en het oor 'n tydperk van 35 jaar, vier IT-verwante besighede geskep: Ursa Software, Visoft, zenAptix en MN8 Technology. In 2022 het ek en Lohan Spies besluit om ons kragte saam te snoer in die vestiging van DIDx, 'n maatskappy gefokus op die opwindende nuwe veld van Self Sovereign Identity.

My jare in Stellenbosch is grootliks verryk deur vriendskapsbande wat ek met mede-drawwers, die Moegoes (Middag Oefen Groep) kon smee. Saam het ons menige marathon (ultra-, vol - en half-) voltooi. Op gereelde basis het ons al die bergpaaie, wat die skilderagtige omgewing bied, verken - een van die vele bronne van groot vreugde in my lewe.

Die verloop van die lewe het egter 'n nuwe wending geneem toe my loopbaan en hardloops-plesier oornag beëindig is deur 'n outo-immuun toestand wat my vir 5 maande in die hospitaal laat beland het. In die na-gevolge en herstel-periode is my lewe radikaal verander.

My nuwe lewe, op Stellenbosch, Pringlebaai en Bathurst (Oos Kaap), is toegewy aan gedigte skryf, meditasie, filosofie, musiek en - soos my kragte dit toelaat - wandel in die natuur. O, en moenie vergeet nie - kos maak en lekker eet.

Ek vind 'n groot rykdom van non-dualistiese praksis in die skrywe van Meister Eckhart, DT Suzuki, Thich Nhat Hahn, Lao Tzu, Thomas Merton en andere wat die boodskap/dharma van Jesus Christus en Buddha in my lewe van toepassing maak.

Ek en vroulief Analda, my rots en steunpilaar deur baie moeilike tye, is só bevoorreg om baie tyd met ons kinders en kleinkinders te spandeer. My hart loop oor van dankbaarheid vir dit wat ís, wat was, en sal wees.

So-hum.

---

I was born on 20 August 1955 in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng. Here I grew up alongside the young, newly planted trees, of this recently established industrial town, on the Transvaal highveld.

I imagine God ran out of mountains when he reached that part of the country — he did not even have hills left — so he gave us the Vaal River instead. Those treeless, flat grasslands stirred in me an appreciation of mountains, fynbos and the sea. Still, it would be thirty years before my wife, Analda ,and I, with three young children — Dyani, Reghardt and Irené — moved to Stellenbosch (the youngest, Mourits, completed the family four years later).

In Stellenbosch I was able to follow my creative drive and entrepreneurial bent, and over the next thirty-five years I built four IT-related businesses: Ursa Software, Visoft, zenAptix and MN8 Technology. In 2022, Lohan Spies and I decided to combine our strengths in founding DIDx, a company focused on the exciting new field of Self-Sovereign Identity.

My years in Stellenbosch were deeply enriched by friendships forged with fellow runners, the Moegoes (Middag Oefen Groep — Afternoon Exercise Group). Together we completed many marathons — ultra, full and half. We regularly explored the mountain roads that thread the picturesque landscape - one of the many great sources of joy in my life.

The course of life took a new turn, however, when my career and love of running were ended overnight by an autoimmune condition that kept me in hospital for five months. In the aftermath and recovery my life changed radically.

My new life, in Stellenbosch, Pringle Bay and Bathurst (Eastern Cape), is given to writing poetry, meditation, philosophy, music and — as my strength allows — hiking in nature. Oh, and not to forget — cooking and enjoying good food.

I find great enrichment for non-dualistic praxis in the writings of Meister Eckhart, DT Suzuki, Thich Nhat Hahn, Lao Tzu, Thomas Merton and others that makes the message/dharma of Jesus Christ and Buddha applicable in my life.

My dear wife Analda, my rock and pillar through many hard times, and I are blessed to spend much time with our children and grandchildren. My heart overflows with gratitude for what is, what was, and what will be.

So-hum.