Why I Love My Co-Founder

Why I Love My Co-Founder

Saturday was a day I've seen repeated many times over the past seven years. 

It bagan, as most days, with Linda waking before me at about 6:30 - early for a Saturday because we had to be in downtown Portland for the 2nd annual planting of the ALS Healing Garden in Lincoln Park. Once out of the shower she prepared my tube feeding and plugged me in. Then the animals need attention and feeding. Hope, our ebullient pup, goes in and out several times each morning, requesting the door with a distinctive "woof", always as Linda is putting her first sip of cooling coffee to her lips.

Then her attention flips back to me for toothbrushing (always an adventure with these hands) and getting me dressed (kinda like dressing a weeble). All this mind you, while trying to get herself ready. Uninterrupted, the process of getting ready in the morning is about 90 minutes minimum.

We hit the road and make a Starbucks stop because Linda never did get that first sip of coffee. Arriving at Lincoln Park, we find a small group of people on their knees busily planting red and white flowers. Many of them we know or met at last year's planting. Linda pitches in to help, with one eye on Hope and me because Hope LOVES people and was straining against her harness to slobber over them all. We met a little boy named Isaiah who played with Hope for a bit. Linda came back and had a wonderful conversation with him. He pointed out his Dad, who was part of a quartet playing worship music (I KNOW! In a public park!:)).

For those who don't know, Lincoln Park is frequently Home Base for Portland's homeless. Saturday, we met Joy, who made a valiant effort at singing a worship song. She appeared a bit shaky, but was friendly and enjoying the atmosphere of worship and fellowship. She was with a man who was drunk. A Pastor of an in town church had spoken with him earlier. The man had just gotten out of jail, had been sober for 10 years and had started drinking again that morning. Both Joy and her companion received prayer.

We were among the last to leave and Linda, in her typical disarming manor, went to say goodbye to Joy. They chatted for about 10 minutes, Joy petted Hope a bit, and they parted with a mutual "God bless." I watched them talking and just marveled at how Linda put Joy at ease and how she treated her like anyone else. No judgment. No condemnation. No pity. She's at her best in those situations.

By this time it was mid-afternoon so we grabbed some sandwiches and went to our favorite spot overlooking Willard Beach. Between trying to eat and tending to Hope. Linda really didn't relax. We cut our visit short because Linda had to get to the annual Relay for Life held at the High School up the road. Our daughter-in-law, Hannah, lost her Mom to pancreatic cancer a few years ago and has sponsored a team at this event for the last few years. 

So, Linda drops me off at the house, hooks me up to another tube feeding, and takes off for the event. She comes back in about 45 minutes, unhooks me and takes off to buy a first aid kit for the relay, runs it back, stays for the tribute and walks the first lap with Hannah. She gets home about 10:30.

This is a typical day for my Co-Founder, my wife, my best friend. I often say she's tireless. That's not true. She's tired all the time. Linda has an uncanny capacity to work through pain 
(physical and emotional). Yet her well of compassion for people like Joy is limitless. She's one in a million, my Co-Founder. She's the "foundation of our foundation". Strong as granite and smooth as polished marble. THAT'S why I love my Co-Founder.