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 Michael Eizenga:
student, lawyer, husband and parent
Twenty-five years ago at Montcalm Secondary School I counseled Michael Eizenga, a very promising bright young man with a passion to learn and make a difference.
He was the handsome, long-haired president of the student council. You know the type - happy, outgoing, great public speaker who had most of the girls going gah, gah.
Last week I had the opportunity to interview that same student, now a 47-year-old lawyer, husband and father. Off I went to Siskinds to meet with Michael.
Scary. Sometimes young people who possess great promise do not blossom into productive, nice people.
I was not disappointed.
Michael has shed his long curls for a gray hair or two. The slim nice young man I remembered has matured into a gracious host.
Michael came from humble beginnings. He is very proud of his father and mother. His dad, Eelke, emigrated from Holland to Canada after World War Two at age 16 with his six brothers and sisters. After labouring on a farm he found employment at 3M as a tool-and-die maintenance worker.
Eelke fell in love with Vivian and they married and had two children, Michael and Lori. The family moved to Ridgeview Heights and the children attended Montcalm Secondary. I still remember Michael's interviews of discovery, comparing the pros and cons of careers in the ministry vs. law.
Off he went to Huron College to major in philosophy. At the ripe old age of 22 Mike married Penny, a registered nurse he met at Northpark Community Church. The newlyweds opted to move to Dallas, Texas, were Mike could take a masters in theology. Their love nest was a 600 square foot apartment to house their babies, Shannon and Jordan.
They yearned to be closer to their extended family and returned home to London. Mike enrolled in the Huron College's master in philosophy program. He sure loved learning, nine years of post secondary and counting. At 30 Michael successfully applied to the UWO law school.
He found his niche at Siskinds, the law firm. Class actions are Michael's forte. He is emotionally suited for the adversarial role; there are always at least two sides of an argument. He finds the work intellectually stimulating. Co-workers Scott Ritchie, Mike Peerless and Charles Wright are both mentors and true "brothers-in-law".
Michael has learned the critical balance between career and personal life. His family is the most important. The Eizenga home is a warm, welcoming source of comfort and happiness for the extended family of children and their friends. The love of music and live theatre are treasures that they all have in common.
The past 14 years have flown by for the Eizengas and I wondered what Michael's future aspirations were? He says he "looks forward to many years of friendship with his children and their families."
Michael serves on the national executive of the Liberal Party hoping to make contributions to his community and his country. He says he has no political aspirations: "It's hard to mix family and politics having to live in a constant fish bowl environment."
I asked Michael to contemplate changing himself or the world. He stated he did not think that he was important enough to change when he could look forward to transition in society. He hopes for the elimination of unnecessary barriers between people. "You don't have to trade in your values and beliefs to have effective, positive relationships with people whose views you don't share."
Someday he may return to a university classroom, teaching legal philosophy to a group of curious students.
Michael can't believe how fortunate he is "to have received God's blessing." He is a happy man who treasures his family, community, law career and the inspiring teachers and mentors who have inspired him to be all that he could be.
They say, "what goes around comes around." Twenty-five years after graduating from high school I found my former student has grown into an exceptional, erudite, caring individual we all can take pride in nurturing.
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