Red wigs on bikes

Late last week my dear friend Der Lovett invited me to join him and a bunch of folks on a bike ride.  The bike ride being a fundraiser for his friends Amie and Harper and an act of love and support that brought me to my knees and has stayed with me in my thoughts.

Recently after being blessed with a new baby into their lives,  Harper was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.  ALS is a disease that hits people between the ages of 40-70, in which the person slowly looses muscle movement and control, leading to inevitable paralysis.  Meanwhile the mind is left completely unaffected.  The bike ride was organized to raise money to help support Amie and Harper, as time progresses and the family's challenges become greater.  The idea was that each person would donate $10.00 and join in this long meandering bike ride around NE Portland.. oh yeah.. and everyone wore RED wigs.  Lovett Deconstruction matched our "teams" donations to make a pretty substantial overall donation. The organizers were expecting about 300 people to show up and it was such a beautiful sight to see.  Amie, Harper, and their little baby joined us on the ride via pedicab.

I was deeply moved by being a part of this bike ride.  It was an incredibly creative and deeply heartfelt act by a community of friends and supporters.  It reminded me that by gathering together in large numbers we could raise a lot of money and provide  a tangible show of love.  There was a sweetness in the air, though I knew the seriousness of Amie and Harper's future, I also felt comforted by this simple act of human helping human.  It was humbling to realize that all  of us are always just a step away from loosing a loved one.  How precious all this is.....all the more reason to don a red wig and celebrate one radiant evening together.