It's Thanksgiving, which means...it is time to be thankful. I was thinking about being thankful this morning as I drank my coffee and thought about what lies ahead for us today. What does it mean to be thankful? For me, that definition has begun to change over the last few years.
I used to be thankful for the kind of stuff that we're all thankful for: family, health, blessings, the fact that I went on an awesome vacation, etc. But as I have begun to grow older, I realize that there are more important things to be thankful for. Take, for example, my parents.
Today will be the first Thanksgiving we have ever had without mom at the table. As many of you know, my mom has Alzheimer's disease and is now in a Memory Unit. My dad lives just a mile or so away and goes to see her daily. To say that the move to Tulsa from Little Rock and dealing with the placement of mom in the Memory Unit was difficult on both of them would be an understatement.
Dad will spend most of today with mom. He'll sit with her in her room and talk with her. They'll watch tv and walk around the facility and eat lunch. Then he'll come to my sister's house and eat with us. We'll visit mom throughout the day in small groups. She can't handle large groups of people - even family is too overwhelming in large numbers.
While I am sad that mom won't be with us, I am also thankful that mom is in a safe place. And I am thankful for a dad who has shown remarkable love, care and attentiveness to her every need. He won't say it, but I can see that dealing with this situation is very hard on my dad. And I feel so very sorry for him. But today he has committed himself to mom first and for that I am thankful. He is a great example to me of what love does and how love acts.
I am thankful also for my mom. While she can no longer remember many things from yesteryear, she was a great mom when I was a kid. She told me more than once that she had no idea how to raise kids. She just did the best she could. And she did great! She dragged me to church. She gave me the best of everything she could. She always loved me. Always supported me. Always spoiled me and believed in me. She is a great mom.
Today I intend to tell both mom and dad that I am thankful for them and that I love them. They have done so much for me in my life and they have an endearing love that is making it possible to walk through a tough situation together. Hand in hand. Heart in heart. Day by day.
Thank you Lord for a great mom and dad!
Originally Posted at: My Owasso Home
Comments (11)Subscribe to CommentsComment