When I was a little boy I thought my father was incapable of
crying. I also thought that Uncle Boyd
was born without tear ducts. But during
an economic downturn in the early 80’s, Deddy decided that we were going to
move to Louisiana so he could work on an oil rig. Of course, this was a hard transition
considering our family had always lived around each other. The night before we left, Uncle Boyd and Aunt
Gail came to the house one last time to say “goodbye.” When they were leaving, Deddy and Uncle Boyd
started crying like children. Two people
that I thought could easily kill a grizzly bear with only their hands, were so
upset that they were actually crying. It
is a memory that has never left me.
In the last several months, we have all watched a political
process filled with a lot more acrimony and hostility than unity and
inspiration. It is hard for me to
believe the dissention that I have watched between people, in person and on
Facebook. I believe this election has
caused friction between friends more than any in other previous years. Personally, I think its ignorant when someone
seems to forget that in a democracy, EVERYONE is entitled to their own opinion,
whether you agree with them or not. I think I speak for a lot of Americans when
I say that I’m truly glad that it’s over.
But I still believe that the malicious hostility that we have watched
over the last year is not really a representation of most Americans.
I have always been proud to be from rural North
Carolina. We still have a great sense of
community. People care about one
another, we watch out for each other and we support our friends and family when
they are going through hard times. A few
weeks ago, I participated in a charity event for two children battling leukemia
and it was quite humbling. You can check out Drew and Lacy's Event by clicking this link. Hundreds of
volunteers put in a tremendous amount of time and effort to make the event a
success. They sold thousands of plates,
the silent auction was a great success, and the raffle did terrific. Everyone was committed to helping Drew, Lacy,
and their respective families. At the
end of the day, each family spoke about how grateful they were, how much they
appreciated the incredible dedication of the volunteers, and how thankful they
were for their community. Lacy’s father,
David O’Quinn, and I have been friends since high school. He started out by saying that he was going to
try hard not to get emotional but he certainly was not making any
promises. I was sitting only a few feet
away from him when he was talking and when he said that, I stared at the floor
the rest of the time he spoke because I was overwhelmed. The most significant attribute of each family
was how grateful they all were. Both
families have been through a lot, but they both have hope, optimism, and faith
that Lacy and Drew will get through this and enjoy a life filled with love and
support. As you looked around a room
filled with hundreds of people, you saw love, respect, humility, and
appreciation for one another.
A year ago, Mama was going through her own battle with
cancer. What a difference a year
makes. She has had some lingering issues
with her back, but we are truly grateful
for how far she has come and the fact that she is cancer free. There are no words to express how grateful
you are for family, friends, and prayer during times of great stress. We were discussing the fundraiser for Drew
and Lacy and she told me how she has been praying for both of them. She said that no child should ever have to
endure something like cancer. I could
not agree with her more, but I also regret that anyone has to endure any
tremendous illness.
In a world that is changing more rapidly than we can hardly
keep up with, sometimes we forget just how blessed we are to live in America
and have opportunity and abundance all around us. We take for granted that we have a warm,
comfortable home to live in, running water, electricity, an excessive supply of
food, and more than we need of everything.
We have the freedom to make our own choices. We truly are a blessed nation.
I am grateful that I was raised in an area that has a sense
of community even now. At the charity
event for Drew and Lacy, I saw thousands of people participate that day. But it wasn’t strangers, it was family,
friends, neighbors and people that genuinely care about each other. I will never forget how much I missed home
when we lived in Louisiana. I miss home
even when I’m traveling. Dorothy was
right, there’s just no place like home.
I hope that all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope that all of you have the opportunity
to be with family, friends, and loved ones.
This is truly the time of year to appreciate all that we have to be
grateful for. May God Bless all of you this Thanksgiving.
