Helen Linton
Episode 181

Narrator: Welcome friends to another episode of The Story & Experience Podcast. Join your host, Japhet De Oliveira with his guest today and discover the moments that shape us, our families, and communities.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, welcome friends to another episode of The Story & Experience podcast. I am delighted to be here at Adventist Health Castle in Hawaii with our guests seated right opposite me. And if you're brand new to the podcast, we have 100 questions. They progressively become more vulnerable closer to 100 and they're about stories and experiences that shape this person into the leader that they are today. I'm going to ask the first 10, and they get to choose off that where they want to go, and it'll be an exciting adventure. So let me begin with the first one. Could you tell us your name and does anybody ever mispronounce it?

Helen Linton: My name is Helen Linton and nobody mispronounces Helen Linton.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's great. That's great. Now, I discovered today that you may have another name.

Helen Linton: I do. My married name is Shulthise.

Japhet De Oliveira: Shulthise.

Helen Linton: Shulthise. S-H-U-L-T-H-I-S-E.

Japhet De Oliveira: Cool. Okay.

Helen Linton: Yes. And so when people see it, you can see their brain pause and try to figure it out. But a good rhyming scheme with it is it rhymes with rice.

Japhet De Oliveira: It rhymes with rice. Okay. Shulthise. Okay, that's good. Well, we'll go with Helen.

Helen Linton: Yes, we will.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, Helen, what do you do for work right now?

Helen Linton: I'm the director of marketing and communications here at Adventist Health Castle.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay, and what does that entail?

Helen Linton: That entails quite a bit. It's a love for healthcare, it's a love of community and getting the word out about our services, but also about education and awareness of potential health issues or things to be tips and tricks. So it's really good for us to be able to share and have those stories and the experience of others to educate the population.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's fantastic. You enjoy this, I presume.

Helen Linton: Oh, I love it.

Japhet De Oliveira: Doing this for a while, right?

Helen Linton: Yes. 

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. So how long have you been here specifically, and then what did you do before?

Helen Linton: Sure. I've been here for a year and I've been in healthcare marketing and strategy for 13 years.

Japhet De Oliveira: 13 years, okay.

Helen Linton: 13 years.

Japhet De Oliveira: So strategy, marketing, communication, all combined together, your force right now?

Helen Linton: Yes. It's my force.

Japhet De Oliveira: Give me an example of something right now that's just on your docket or actually give us something that's coming by the time this podcast is posted that's new, that's just like it's got your juices going and you're excited about it.

Helen Linton: I'm excited. We have a second CT coming in October 2025. And I know people are like, "Oh, you have an imaging machine and what does that mean for me?" When you have a second CT machine at a hospital, especially a level three trauma center like we have, that actually means that you get to prioritize both the outpatient and the inpatient side. Let's talk about an extreme case. If you have someone coming in with a trauma head injury as well as a stroke, you don't have to figure out which one is actually-

Japhet De Oliveira: Triage them differently.

Helen Linton: Right. They both can go and get the scan. But then also on the outpatient side, if I have a schedule of a 9:00 AM CT, but you've often been heard, "It'll be a couple minutes. We have somebody who is more of a priority, life or death here," and then you might be waiting 30 minutes, an hour later before you get to go in. So this means that the outpatients get to be treated-

Japhet De Oliveira: Faster.

Helen Linton: Yes, yes, yes.

Japhet De Oliveira: This is great.

Helen Linton: It's a good experience for everyone.

Japhet De Oliveira: And so your role in this is to help to get the story out about that and...

Helen Linton: Absolutely, yes. So we'll get the story out to the general public, the community, to know that they have this extra resource here at the hospital and in the community. Especially we're the only full service hospital on the windward side, so you don't have to go through the mountain and you don't have to go around that island. We're right here.

Japhet De Oliveira: It's quite a trek.

Helen Linton: Yes. And time is brain in the sense of a stroke or even in a traumatic accident where you might get a head injury.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's great.

Helen Linton: I think it's great. And then also to allow the physicians and the medical community to know that they have an additional resource because we are on an island and resources are scarce.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's true. That's true. Hey, fantastic. Well, we look forward to that becoming the story that we hear about soon after this is posted as well so that's great. Tell me, where were you born?

Helen Linton: I was born in Tennessee.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. And did you grow up in Tennessee?

Helen Linton: I did not. I grew up in the DMV area, so the Washington DC area in Northern Virginia.

Japhet De Oliveira: All right. So now when you grew up there, what did you imagine you would grow up to be?

Helen Linton: I thought I was going to be a college professor or a pianist or an actress. Something-

Japhet De Oliveira: Very close to…

Helen Linton: ... where I'm in front of a room. Somewhere I could have my voice and my artistry heard.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, that's good. Do you still play the piano?

Helen Linton: Here and there. Here and there.

Japhet De Oliveira: And lots of acting?

Helen Linton: I never acted a day in my life. Maybe right now.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay, all right. Fair enough. If, Helen, people were to describe your personality, would they say you were an introvert or an extrovert? Would you agree?

Helen Linton: They would say both. Yeah. So I have many best friends from my high school years that are still best friends and they will say my extrovertedness has become introverted. I think the more wiser I become and more seasoned in life, I take a step back and I really put on my listening ears and watch and observe the world around me.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's fair. I like that. That's good. Now, are you an early riser or late night owl?

Helen Linton: Both.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay, great, I should say. Maybe not.

Helen Linton: Yeah, so before I had my two and a half year old, I was definitely a night owl, and every once in a while I'll have those moments where I'll pull a all-nighter or I'll get into a book and just I have to finish it that night and I can't do anything else. I love it when the world is silent and I feel like my mind is taking in everything. On the other part, I wake up every morning at least by 5:00 AM.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. No matter what?

Helen Linton: No matter what. So that means I'm probably going to bed when my toddler goes to bed at about 9:00, 9:30.

Japhet De Oliveira: So now when you get up in the morning, first drink of the day?

Helen Linton: Coffee. 100%.

Japhet De Oliveira: And how do you have your coffee?

Helen Linton: Usually black. Sometimes with a little bit of oat milk if we've got some at home.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay, that's good. That's good. That's great. Now, this morning when you woke up at 5:00, first thought that went through your mind was?

Helen Linton: "I'm going to be late." Even at 5:00 AM I can foresee it happening three hours later.

Japhet De Oliveira: It's many hours. Okay. You predicted you were going to be late?

Helen Linton: I did. I did. Because I like to have my morning snuggles with my baby girl.

Japhet De Oliveira: Aww. Hey.

Helen Linton: Like to start off the week right every day.

Japhet De Oliveira: That is good. That is good. I'm fully in favor of that. That's fantastic. All right, here's a leadership question and then I'll hand over to you. Are you a backseat driver?

Helen Linton: No. I'm a passenger driver and I think it depends on... Right now I believe where I'm at, I am sitting in the passenger seat in the front. We're navigating together and then I will slowly become-

Japhet De Oliveira: The passenger.

Helen Linton: ... the passenger in the back seat and then maybe I'll be in the SUV in the third row as time evolves and goes on. Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, that's fair enough. Hey, that's good. That's good. All right. Floor is open. Where would you like to go? First question?

Helen Linton: Question, let's go to 11.

Japhet De Oliveira: 11. All right. Tell us about the most adventurous food or meal you've ever eaten.

Helen Linton: Yeah, so I used to travel quite a bit and I worked in Cairo and I went to a traditional restaurant at... High ratings. I would definitely recommend it. I can't remember the name right now, but I had Rabbit.

Japhet De Oliveira: That one place in Cairo.

Helen Linton: Yeah, that one place in Cairo. And it's near the Nile, but I had pigeon and rabbit.

Japhet De Oliveira: I'm very happy for you. And it was good?

Helen Linton: It was great.

Japhet De Oliveira: It was great?

Helen Linton: It was great.

Japhet De Oliveira: Better than good.

Helen Linton: Yeah. They didn't tell me I had pigeon and rabbit until after the fact because they were afraid I wouldn't eat it. I was like, "Oh, this is kind of small meat, but it's okay. That must have been a really small chicken."

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. Yep. Okay, good for you. That was number 11. Where next then?

Helen Linton: Let's go to 20.

Japhet De Oliveira: 20. All right. Oh, Helen, what would you give 10 out of 10 to? You have your brand. You say, "This is now a Helen 10 out 10." What would you say is 10 out of 10?

Helen Linton: Oh, that's a good question. That's a trick question.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, really? How was it a trick?

Helen Linton: Because I know that there's something out there and it is not here right now. You know what? I will give it 10 out of 10 to the ALOHA Collection fanny pack because it's lightweight. You can put quite a bit in there, but not too much because it needs to be lightweight. You can put it in the washing machine.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, okay.

Helen Linton: And they come in tons and tons of colors and patterns.

Japhet De Oliveira: They have now become our sponsor. This is great. Hey, super. All right. That was 10 out of 10. Oh, where next then? That was 20.

Helen Linton: 20. 25.

Japhet De Oliveira: 25. All right.

Helen Linton: I'm taking big steps here.

Japhet De Oliveira: All right. Share the most beautiful thing you've ever seen.

Helen Linton: Oh, this world is so beautiful. There's so many majestic views. Right here on Oahu, you could be on top of a mountain on a hike in Lanikai at the Pillbox and watching the sun rise. If you haven't done it, you got to do it. And it's not that bad of a hike. I used to have a condo in town that was pretty high and it looked over the harbor and you would see the sunset every day. And the colors are just amazing.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's beautiful.

Helen Linton: And you can actually tell where you are in the year by where the sun is.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, really?

Helen Linton: Mm-hmm.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, that is really nice.

Helen Linton: But then I've also been to the pyramids and the Big Buddha in Hong Kong.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, really?

Helen Linton: Those are all amazing, all amazing.

Japhet De Oliveira: See, that's fantastic. Yeah. I was just looking outside your office earlier today, I thought, "Beautiful view. Wow. Amazing."

Helen Linton: Yeah. Cool.

Japhet De Oliveira: The hospital's surrounded by beautiful greenery. Yeah. Fantastic.

Helen Linton: I believe there's a healing spirit in those mountains.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yes. All right, where next? That was 25.

Helen Linton: 35.

Japhet De Oliveira: 35. Yeah. Oh, share a special interest or unique talent that you have.

Helen Linton: Wow. I might as well have gone to 100.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. Okay. Maybe that is question 100.

Helen Linton: I have a weird love of self... Not self-help books, but development books, whether it's finances or how to become a better speaker or organizer. The only problem is when you read a book, you're reading it with your voice in your head. But I have a love of those kinds of books.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good. That's good.

Helen Linton: And that's probably why they make millions and millions of dollars every year.

Japhet De Oliveira: Because people like you love that. Hey, actually lots of people love that. It's great. It's great. Hey, that's good. All right. Hey, good. Where next then?

Helen Linton: 45.

Japhet De Oliveira: 45. I see a pattern here. All right. When people come to you for help, what are they usually asking for?

Helen Linton: I personally think it's my opinion. You might see a common theme there. No. Usually it's for a second opinion or just a thought or support. As a family member, I'm the youngest daughter of my mom's Asian. She's Korean. My dad is typical Caucasian mountain, grew up in the rural area of Virginia. But as the youngest daughter, they look to us for quite a bit.

So at least for my parents was always looking for advice and not advice in their personal life but being in healthcare, I've been able to help them navigate through some difficult situations, whether it's for family members or even getting them connected because once you're in healthcare, you're connected from the organization you're in all the way to Mayo Clinic or MD Anderson so it's very powerful and healthcare is very hard to navigate.

Japhet De Oliveira: It is.

Helen Linton: And that's one of the reasons why I am still in healthcare.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, interesting. It's hard to navigate for other people, hard to navigate for those who work in it, hard to navigate all around, but yes, you're trying to simplify that. Make it easier.

Helen Linton: Yes.

Japhet De Oliveira: Good. We need that. We need that. All right. That was 45, so where next?

Helen Linton: 50.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, okay. I was expecting 55 and you were [inaudible 00:13:09] 50.

Helen Linton: I was trying to trick you.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, you did.

Helen Linton: I kept a five in there though.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, that's good. All right, 50 it is. Share about who's influenced you professionally.

Helen Linton: My mom and my dad have influenced me professionally. They both are business owners, multiple businesses. They have always had a hard work ethic and they've always been able to navigate through difficult times, whether it's changing the recession or different things in the world. And they've gone from one business model to another because they had to adjust.

Japhet De Oliveira: They've adapted.

Helen Linton: Yeah. So I would say my parents. Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's really nice. I hope when they listen to this, they'll hear this. This'll be great. Do they know this?

Helen Linton: They do not know this.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, this would be lovely for them to hear. Oh, that's really good. Okay, good. Where next then? That was 50.

Helen Linton: 52.

Japhet De Oliveira: 52. Share what motivates you.

Helen Linton: Oh, what motivates me? My little daughter. She motivates me. Having family, having people who count on you really motivate me because if they need something, that means somebody else needs something. And the more that you can learn from those experiences and evolve together, that's what makes the world go round.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's fantastic. That's great. One day when she listens to it, she'll hear that. All right, where next? That was 52.

Helen Linton: We'll do 57.

Japhet De Oliveira: 57. Oh, if you had to endorse a brand... This is a different 10 out 10. Which brand would it be and why?

Helen Linton: I would say Tory Burch, and that's because I'm wearing Tory Burch shoes right now. But I often think of women and ways to empower women and majority of their products and services, they are well-crafted and they bring out the best in women's professionalism as well as just classic looks. There's nothing really too crazy, but there's nothing that isn't not creative about it, if that.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's really good. That's really good. There are some designers that are better than others.

Helen Linton: Yes. Yeah. Well, and I'll put it, it's at an affordable price point on the most part.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, that's good. All right, good. Where next?

Helen Linton: 72.

Japhet De Oliveira: Tell us about what you want to do when you retire.

Helen Linton: I want to be like my mom.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. And then why are you waiting? You want to be like your mom so unpack that.

Helen Linton: Yeah, so I want to be like my mom. Mom just retired at the end of December. So December 31st, 2024. Her first month, she did a lot of sleeping. My brother was trying to put on podcasts for her, YouTube videos so she could learn a different something. And he kept on coming back and she's sleeping. So fast-forward February 1st, I guess she got all the rest she needed and she bought a accordion.

Japhet De Oliveira: An accordion?

Helen Linton: Accordion. Yes. Like the 11 or 13 pound accordion. She's about 85 pounds soaking wet. She's less than five feet. So she started taking accordion lessons virtually. Yeah. And she played hot cross buns and she started playing the piano about seven years ago. So not to wake up my dad, she got a wireless keyboard.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's really great. That's really great.

Helen Linton: And then she's practicing handwriting and she's doing ballroom dancing.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, really?

Helen Linton: So she'll ballroom dance with my dad, but then also he's been woken up by her dancing upstairs and hearing this pounding and thinking something is going on.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's amazing.

Helen Linton: So she's just enjoying life.

Japhet De Oliveira: She loves to learn.

Helen Linton: She does. Yes.

Japhet De Oliveira: And you have that same kind of interest as well?

Helen Linton: I do. I do. You are never in a place where you can't learn.

Japhet De Oliveira: All right, so what are you learning? This is a bonus question. What are you learning right now that's new?

Helen Linton: How to potty-train.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. Good luck.

Helen Linton: I am trying so many different methods and I think it's human nature. When somebody wants to do something, they'll do it. And when they don't, you don't. And you have to take cues and notes from that.

Japhet De Oliveira: Let me know how that goes for you.

Helen Linton: Yeah. I will say on the most part she is, but then she isn't.

Japhet De Oliveira: Story of every parent.

Helen Linton: So it's making me evolve. I think evolve as a leader as well is sometimes you see things as black and white like you do or you don't. And it's really not ever black and white. There is a lot of different forces and circumstances that make-

Japhet De Oliveira: That's true. Make it all come together. Yeah, that's true. All right, that was 72. So where next?

Helen Linton: 75.

Japhet De Oliveira: 75. Oh, this is good for you. Do you remember the very first thing you bought with your own money? What was it and why?

Helen Linton: Yeah. I bought a pair of Nikes. I bought it at Marshall's and I was about 9 or 10. I remember. So I worked in my parents' store and kept a log of the money I made. My parents were not into buying anything designer. You just buy what's at Payless or at the time there was Ames and Pebbles. "This is what I'm buying and I'm not going to buy over a certain dollar."

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, sure.

Helen Linton: Well, Nikes were all the rage. And I remember I saved up my money and I think it was about $70 at the time. It was late '80s, early '90s.

Japhet De Oliveira: A lot.

Helen Linton: Yeah, it was quite a bit of money. And I remember I bought white and gray. They weren't Nike Air Maxes but they were kind of look like that. Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, wow. That's fantastic. That's good. You may have to go find a retro pair just so you have them still. Okay, good. Where next?

Helen Linton: 81.

Japhet De Oliveira: 81. What is something you've given your absolute best effort towards and why was it so important?

Helen Linton: Well, when I was pregnant, of course, so we'll say I gave my best effort there. But if I go back to a professional, I used to work on business plans and then sometimes those business plans and bidding for Spectrum, it's very difficult. And you're moving with all the pieces of an organization. But there was one that I had done within one month and it was a 375-page application, but it had to be both in English and Arabic. So that project was very intense.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's pretty intense.

Helen Linton: And I remember doing several 20 hour days that time, a couple of non sleeping days as well.

Japhet De Oliveira: I have to ask, do you speak any other languages?

Helen Linton: I don't.

Japhet De Oliveira: No? Okay.

Helen Linton: Which is unique. But growing up, my mom is Korean and her parents didn't speak English. Yes, they didn't speak English. I didn't speak Korean and they used to watch me and we-

Japhet De Oliveira: Communicated somehow.

Helen Linton: ... communicated. And I think that's always transcended throughout my whole life, regardless of the language. You look at the person, you look at their mannerisms. If you want to be able to have common dialogue, you find a way to make it happen.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's great. Oh, I like that. That's a good advice for anybody. Good. All right. Where next?

Helen Linton: 81. Let's go to 92.

Japhet De Oliveira: 92. All right. How would you like to be remembered?

Helen Linton: I want to be remembered by a feeling. I want people to remember me about how I made them feel and I hope it's on the positive side.

Japhet De Oliveira: Where did you pick that up from?

Helen Linton: I think Maya Angelou.

Japhet De Oliveira: Hey, that's good. That's good. That's good. Yeah.

Helen Linton: And there's a saying that Keanu Reeves has said is... I think one of the late night or the late late night had asked him, "What do you think people will say about you when you pass away?" And you said, "I will be missed." So I think those are two things. I want people to feel the love, but also know that I'm missed and they're missed as well.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's really beautiful. Oh, thank you. That was 92. Where would you like to go now?

Helen Linton: 95.

Japhet De Oliveira: 95. All right. Tell us about how you see your own faith and life intersecting.

Helen Linton: I don't think there is an intersection. I think it's just a way of being. I grew up, my grandparents were Buddhist. My father was Presbyterian. My mom at some point was going to a Baptist church. They were in the south for a bit. Or more south than Virginia. And they had a worker that used to... His wife used to take me to Catholic Church. So I've had a gambit of-

Japhet De Oliveira: Everything.

Helen Linton: ... quite a bit. And I always find that there's beauty in every religion and it's more about everybody's saying many of the same messages. They're taking what's happening in the world and applying it to how their particular religion is and what that might mean and might transcend. So I think it's really a way of being. There shouldn't be like, "This is me and this is my religion." I think it's all one because you can't be one without the other.

Japhet De Oliveira: I like that. I like that. They are just one in the first place. Okay, that's beautiful. That was 95.

Helen Linton: So I'm going to go backwards.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay.

Helen Linton: Let's go to 76.

Japhet De Oliveira: 76. That's fine. You're like, "Okay." 76 it is. Tell us about where you feel the safest and why.

Helen Linton: I feel the safest at my parents' house. When you're a kid, you're like, "I want to get out of here. I want my own place. I want to move out." The day I turned 18, I was ready. I was at college, and then even after college I was like, "Nope, I'm living on my own." And then somewhere in my head and in my mid-20s, it was like, "Man, I'm a fool. This place is..." Whenever I go in between or I've lived in between places, I've always gone back home and it's a recharge-

Japhet De Oliveira: It's a…

Helen Linton: Yeah. And I'm always welcome and so it's my safest place.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's really good. That's really good. I like that. Hey, that's beautiful. They're going to love hearing this. This is great. All right, where next?

Helen Linton: 99.

Japhet De Oliveira: 99. All right. What's the most difficult truth you've ever told?

Helen Linton: The most difficult truth I always feel is around death. I've had to receive calls and then let other people inform other people of that. So that's always been quite difficult. I've done that three times in my life. So I think that's one of the most difficult truths. The way that you communicate it, it doesn't change the fact there's nothing you can do, but you can change or you can influence how they take in the information and if you can be there for them. So I think that's the most difficult truth. I think the other difficult truth is when you have to tell somebody something that you know they don't know that truth or they are avoiding that truth and that makes it very hard. Because you know it's going to be met with adversity.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. It's difficult to accept. Hey, that's fair. That's fair. Yeah. Those are two very difficult areas.

Helen Linton: Yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah. That was 99. Where would you like to go next?

Helen Linton: 93.

Japhet De Oliveira: 93. All right. Oh, this is really good for you. Paint us a picture of success.

Helen Linton: What does success look like? Okay. So for me, success would be everyone in the community being able to find the healthcare that they need or the support they need because healthcare is not just about the treatment or about seeing a doctor or the access, but it's also about the support and being able to be whole, like our mission says. But with that, really, healthcare itself only affects 20% of the health of your community. It's that other 80% and how can we all work together, whether it's government, if it's non-profit organizations, schools, or just your neighbor. How do we influence the environment to make everyone's health great? So I want to be a good neighbor, but also be a good provider as well.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good. That's good. To live and to belong in the same place. Yeah.

Helen Linton: That's right.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good. Love that. All right, we have time for two more.

Helen Linton: We'll do 98 and 100.

Japhet De Oliveira: Oh, okay. All right. Okay. 98. What is one great thing that you are capable of achieving?

Helen Linton: If I put my mind to something, I will do it.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. And what would it be that one great thing?

Helen Linton: What would be that one great thing?

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah.

Helen Linton: I feel like I haven't put myself up to my expectations yet. One day I'm just going to pick it out of a hat and be determined to do it. I don't know what it is yet. I feel like 2025 is my aha year and I am getting closer and closer to the aha moment. I just don't don't know what it is yet.

Japhet De Oliveira: Okay. Hey, that's fair. That's fair. But I actually do see that about you, that if you decide to do something, you will achieve it so I'm curious to see what that actually is going to be.

Helen Linton: I'll keep you posted.

Japhet De Oliveira: Yeah, do. Do. We all want an episode number two to hear that. So, yeah. No, for sure. All right, question 100. Tell us about one question that you would rather not answer.

Helen Linton: What really goes on in my brain.

Japhet De Oliveira: So Helen, what really is going on in your brain?

Helen Linton: Oh, it's indescribable.

Japhet De Oliveira: It is?

Helen Linton: It's indescribable. I would say it's like an octopus. It's going in so many directions and it's always trying to map how they all intersect and trying to make it... It's a web in there. But a good web.

Japhet De Oliveira: A good web.

Helen Linton: A good web.

Japhet De Oliveira: So let me help draw this out a little bit then. In life, some people will use a metaphor where they talk about a container and we have our rocks in the container, then we throw all the pebbles and sand and everything into it. But what would you say your rocks are? Do you have three, four things that are these are the things in your life that can never be moved?

Helen Linton: Oh, yeah.

Japhet De Oliveira: So what would be those?

Helen Linton: You can never move my family, even if we are thousands of miles away, that connection is more powerful than anything you'll have in your life. I have a passion for education and whatever it is. I think knowledge is power and it's your choice whether you want to use that knowledge or not. So I think more knowledge is more power at the end of the day. My friends. I have many friends that have been my friends for decades and no matter what happens, no matter how much we try to shake each other off every once in a while still, we're still friends.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's good.

Helen Linton: We always connect. So those are my three.

Japhet De Oliveira: Your three rocks.

Helen Linton: My three main rocks.

Japhet De Oliveira: Does the mind touch any of those?

Helen Linton: All the time.

Japhet De Oliveira: All the time.

Helen Linton: All the time.

Japhet De Oliveira: And are you trying to bring the rocks together? Are they fiddling with them? Are they teetering?

Helen Linton: Yeah, they all go together. You can't have family without friends or vice versa because friends are the family you choose so it's however you want to look at that. The education and the knowledge, that goes everywhere. It travels with you. It's always part of your being. Even if you're in a place where you can't communicate that anymore, that is your universe. This powerful tool we have is our universe and we can all figure things out. It's just do we put our mind to it? Like right now I'm a mom and I'm trying to figure that out. But you know what? From what I've been told, you never figure it out.

Japhet De Oliveira: That's very true. We learn all the time.

Helen Linton: We're learning all the time, and we're evolving. They're evolving. Nobody is stuck to the person that they are yesterday or 10 years ago. So we are always going to be moving in different direction.

Japhet De Oliveira: Helen, that is a good word and a great space for us actually at the end of this particular podcast. That's great to have your mind going all over the place, but it touches everything. I understand. I see it. I look forward to seeing what you're going to accomplish.

Helen Linton: I appreciate that.

Japhet De Oliveira: And thank you for taking the time. This is actually what I encourage people to do. Sit down with a friend, ask them good questions. We discover so much about ourselves, we actually help other people as well. We are transformed in the process as well. So God bless you, and we'll connect again, everybody, with another episode soon.

Narrator: Thank you for joining us for The Story & Experience Podcast. We invite you to read, watch, and submit your story and experience at adventisthealth.org/story. The Story & Experience Podcast was brought to you by Adventist Health for the Office of Culture.