Major Robert D. Lindenau

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Every now and then in the incredibly large stream of information that passes by these days, something hits a bit too close to home and causes me to pause and reflect a little deeper.

On October 20th, Major Robert D. Lindenau was killed in Afganistan by a rocket propelled grenade. He was 39. He lived in the Northwest, and was an amateur triathlete who tried to keep up his training in the harsh environment where he was stationed. He left behind a wife and four children, ages 12, 10, 8, and 6.

In a situation like this: a guy my age, from the Northwest, who shared the same interests as me and had a family with four kids the same age as mine, it's impossible to just pass this by as another loss of a brave soldier. I can imagine a little too closely what it might be like for his kids to grow up without a dad, for his wife to loose a husband that young, how hard and tragic and lonely this must all be. And while we all value the sacrifice of the men and women in our military, I'm not sure that we really CAN fully appreciate the sacrifice when it is someone else's child, dad, husband (mother, sister, daughter) who pays the price.

Major Lindenau came to my attention today in an article in the most recent Triathlon Magazine, detailing his extensive work with Project Active. Project Active is an organization whose mission statement is:

A global mission with a commitment to diffuse world tensions through sport-related education, equipment, mentoring and encouragement. Project Active is dedicated to planting the peace-inspring seed of ahtletics in the heart of the Human Spirit, in areas of the world where it is needed most.

There is a link on Project Active's web site (upper right) where one can contribute to help his family. The donation amounts that follow are all dollar amounts containing only "8". I do not know of the significance of that, and had not actually gone to the donation page until just now. I mention this only because in my own life, the number 8 has always been "my" number, my favorite. It just seemed a little too coincidental to not mention it.

May Peace find its way to the Lindenau family.
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