Partnering

I watch Animal Planet on TV a lot unless its' about bugs. My satellite company has lots of these: Discovery, History, PBS, etc and I have them all. There was a bit on hyenas. I didn't know that they mate for life, and they hunt in mated pairs. They are very successful. The males help in the care and feeding of the pups, and when the two hunt, they are three times more successful in making a kill. Often, the single hyena starves to death.

So, one hyena plus one hyena equals three times the kills. Interesting how this biological unit defies the laws of mathematics where one and one always equals two. That's true in humans, too. Two people don't live as cheaply as one - or only twice as well as they would alone. They live three times better than they would alone. Yet, in our society, keeping partners together is a real challenge. We are failing at it miserably. If pairing up is so beneficial, why is it so difficult for so many?

Well, I have a little experience in the partner category, and naturally I have an opinion about this.

It's because you need a quest.

I have always known that I am not most effective as a leader. I am most effective as a partner. The song "You Are the Wind Beneath My Wings" was written for/about me. My second most favorite character after Gandalf is Sam the wise, Frodo's loyal friend.

On a side note: the image of Gandalf (Do I have the name of the wizard
right?) on Shadow fox always makes my heart beat a little faster.

To me, Sam is the hero of the story, not Frodo. If he hadn't carried Frodo at the end, then the evil empire would not have been defeated.

I can lead if the occasion calls for it. If my partner stumbles, I can pick him up and carry him. As long as he's leading the way, I can cover his backside. But - my partner has to be on a righteous quest. I cannot and will not follow blindly behind a fool. My partner can have a few foibles and I will cover for him, but he cannot be without character. Frodo accepted a task that was beyond his knowledge and strength and without Sam and a cast of supporting characters, he would have failed. Frodo knew this and accepted the task anyway. He was strong beyond anything anyone could have expected. He paid ultimately with his life.

I am talking about a partner, an equal, walking shoulder-to-shoulder, and side by side; each with strength and the pair of us on a journey together regardless of adversity. It takes character. It takes wisdom, and loyalty and intelligence and bravery. It takes endurance, too. You have to stick it out when the going gets tough - both of you. When I choose a new partner, you can believe he will be worth the effort. His cause will be just, and his heart will be true. I know such men exist. I was partnered with one for 32 years, and I stuck it out to his last breath. I'm resting now. The way there at the end was hard, and it took its toll. Wounds take time to heal. Standing at the brink of eternity takes your breath away.

In my life always - ALWAYS - what I need, not necessarily what I want, has come to me. Somewhere there is a wizard who needs a sidekick, and he's wandering in my direction.
glee