As a person, I learned that listening to someone is the most important thing you can do with them. Real listening, or “presence”, as Jean would call it. Not making a fancy dinner, not getting your hair done, not signing your kids up for a hundred activities. Just be with them. Just give them the gift of your whole presence. Show them that they are worthy of this. That’s all.

As a university professor and department leader, I have been influenced by how Jean was as a Builder; and I learned that being a builder is so much harder than being a critic. He came from the war generation, which saw so much destruction; I believe this catalyzed Jean and many of that era to “build back”.