Paige McGrath: gentle soul enduring, prevailing

Tomorrow, May 31st, 2008, will be the 42nd birthday of my sister, Paige McGrath. She was born in Klamath Falls, Oregon in 1966.

I remember, believe it or not, the first time I saw her. Mom and Dad brought her home to our duplex on Fargo Street, wrapped in swaddling blankets. Mom laid her on the bed and my brother Eric and I beheld her as she lay sleeping. Such a pretty girl!

Paige has undergone many transitions in her life: from young pre-school ballerina to University of Washington graduate and Microsoft employee; from gentle, good-hearted toddler to proud, dedicated mother.

Paige's ability to tell a side-splitting story is reknowned throughout our family. She's generous, forgiving, and patient. She is the most compassionate person I know.

Of course, a lifetime consists of not only joy, but sorrow, and Paige has known both. When my father passed, in 2001, Paige was at his side, helping his wife, Tami, to care for the young children and easing his passage.

Today, she and her husband, Tim, are the proud parents of my nephew, Torin. They are doing a great job, raising him to be an exuberant and kind little boy.

I always count on Paige for wisdom and compassion when I am uncertain or afraid. I've come to rely on her in my times of crisis. I just pick up the phone and call her and somehow I end up feeling better.

Well, happy birthday, Paige. Your big brother loves you, but I know you know that already.