James Van Der Beek Celebrates Birthday With His 6 Kids and Shares an Inspiring Message

The Dawson’s Creek star couldn’t feel more fulfilled and grateful to be celebrating his birthday surrounded by his 6 children. James Van Der Beek, who just turned 46, posted a meaningful message about his views on life and the passage of time after having made “46 trips around the sun.”

The picture-perfect family

To mark his forty-sixth birthday, Van Der Beek shared a carousel of 4 adorable photos with his 1.1 million Instagram followers.

The pics showed him with his big family, surrounded by his 4 daughters, ages 12, 9, 6, and 4, as well as his 10-year-old son and 15-month-old baby boy.

He has a new take on time.

Along with the pics, Van Der Beek shared a heartfelt message that we can all relate to. The actor noted, ’’I’ve been feeling a new relationship with time, lately.’’ He went on, explaining that he used to try to ’’bend’’ time to his will, to ’’speed it up, squeeze more into it, shortcut it. Or panic at its passing. Or just ignore it altogether.’’

He added, ’’But recently, I’ve found myself happier the more I’m in touch with reverence, and deference to time. Yes, it CAN be stretched. It can fly...’’

Van Der Beek went on, explaining that on our planet and in our dimension, everything is ’’governed by time.’’

He continued, ’’And the more I deference I can summon to the lessons earned only in time...the healthier relationship I have with miracles. And the easier it becomes to root in the present, open to the perfection of a process I was never meant to control.’’ The actor concluded his message with the words, ’’Middle-age rocks.’’

He and his wife have suffered many losses.

The Dawson’s Creek actor has been married to his wife, Kimberly, since 2010. And although they now have a big and beautiful family, the couple has been through challenging times and a lot of loss. In fact, over the course of 9 years, the actor’s wife suffered from 5 miscarriages.

The loving husband had once shared, ’’We’ve been through joy and pain and everything in between, and even at the height of our most impassioned arguments...she’s who I want by my side.’’

His wife brings out the best in him.

Van Der Beek divorced his first wife, actress Heather McComb, in 2010 after 7 years of marriage.

Speaking about his second marriage, Van Der Beek noted that his wife has made him a better man.
He shared, ’’This marriage has demanded I be more present, more honest, more authentic, more open, more patient, more passionate, daring, capable, fun, and vulnerable than I’ve ever been. And I’m still earning her.’’