A Time of Personal Thanksgiving
By Joe Rector
The best thing about Thanksgiving is that the holiday forces us to think about those things and persons for whom we are thankful. Yes, most of us always know how much those people and things mean to us, but that knowledge is buried in day-to-day demands and actions. This year, I’m in the mood to give a “shout-out” to some of the folks who mean so much to me.
First, of course, is my wife Amy. We’ve been married 51 years in December, and I have no idea how she’s managed to put up with me all these years. She has been my guide and my support through all this time. Even if the entire world was against me, Amy would be present to support me, even if I were wrong.
To this day, I can’t understand why such a gorgeous, smart, classy woman would have anything to do with me. She’s champagne; I’m Boone’s Farm. Our ways of processing material are different, and explaining ourselves to each other is difficult. She’s quiet and thoughtful, but I’m loud and “off-the-cuff.” Yes, I am thankful for her love, friendship, loyalty, and tolerance.
I’m thankful for my daughter Lacey. Our lives were upended when Dallas passed, and some days are still struggles. Lacey’s heart is broken as well, but she’s stepped up to be an even more wonderful daughter. She worries about us and keeps in touch often. We are blessed with her and her husband Nick and her son Madden, our only grandchild.
I am thankful that God gave me a twin to go through this life. Jim is my best buddy. We try to keep in touch. Golf, whether it involves mowing greens and tee boxes or playing a round, is something we share. He and I have projects that require each other’s help. Working together makes the job easier and gives us time to joke and talk. He and his wife Brenda welcome us to their home for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals if we don’t have another place to go. Jim is the one person with whom I can share things. That’s because sometimes the things that bother me might concern other family members. Most of all, I can rely on Jim every time.
Last, I am thankful for the former student who did an improbable and unbelievably kind thing. Amy and I asked on Facebook if anyone had a condo at Isle of Palms for rent. This person and his wife answered by taking care of our vacation. Yes, they rented a place for us and sent us the information about it. We spent a week at our favorite spot in a place much better than we imagined. The vacation was the first we’d taken since Dallas’ passing, and it gave us a chance to breathe and regain our balance. I’ve thanked him, but I don’t think he will ever know how much his kindness affected Amy and me. The man has always been someone I cared about, but I never thought that he and his wife would ever do something so big and so kind. I will be thankful for this couple for all my life, and I hope that someday I will in some way be able to repay that kindness.
I hope that all of you have a safe, refreshing, and relaxing Thanksgiving. Our country has plenty of problems brewing, but for the day, I pray that we can bow our heads just long enough to thank the Good Lord for all of our blessings.
