tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8467637497650166727.post1816773323777707292..comments2024-01-25T19:40:47.043-08:00Comments on Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses of Portland, Oregon: Love, Worldly StyleJoel Gunzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02597499250122165168noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8467637497650166727.post-54885677673055259392010-04-21T06:41:04.587-07:002010-04-21T06:41:04.587-07:00Brian, Marcia and Steve, who told me that nothing ...Brian, Marcia and Steve, who told me that nothing I could do would ever make them love me more or love me less.<br /><br />Dr. Wise, who sent an e-mail (without my knowledge) to a colleague in Seattle after I moved there, resulting in an interview I'd never expected.<br /><br />Dr. Kahn, who hired me with next to no research experience, allowing me to pay my rent. Who eventually decided I was worth investing in as a researcher as well, and flew a fledgling undergrad to England to help with a talk he could have done without me. Who handed me $200 as a loan to help with expenses there, then refused to let me pay him back.<br /><br />Dan and Meia, who believed in me and gave me the money it took to apply to graduate school.<br /><br />Rob, who paid for 1.5 years worth of date nights, and helped with groceries for me and my foster son, and with my alternator when it went out. <br /><br />And of late, an old contact back home who is a supervisor in a large agency and has offered to help pass my resume around out of kindness.<br /><br />Oh, and Deb - we were both really broke, both single parents, and my first Thanksgiving here I got a check for $60. I knew that came from her blood, sweat and tears. The next year, I sent her one. Actually, we don't know who sent the first check. We both know that when we had about 3 cents left in the bank, we seemed to get a check from the other that got us through till payday.<br /><br />All of this is about money, I realize now, but it's really not - it's more that people love you, and believe in you, and want to support you. And that if I were to thank people for the phone calls, the shoulders to cry on, the times they continued to love me despite myself, this entry would be three hundred pages.<br /><br />Bad association is just that, and I agree, is not related to religion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com