Thanksgiving thoughts - helping friends in need...

Today, Tuesday November 22nd, has me thinking of Thanksgiving.

When I was in PA last week, the folks in my Mom's apartment building had their annual Thanksgiving turkey dinner.  There were about 40 people present.  This was a catered event.  The food was great.  Our table companions were interesting. The elderly married couple seated with us have been married almost 70 years!  Wow! And the lady seated to my left was their flower girl!  Holy cow!

My mother's friend, Pat, was seated to my right - between Mom and I.  Pat had purchased her first house from this lovely couple back in the 1970's.  Again, WOW!

That was on Wednesday, the 16th.

Pat is wheelchair bound.  She's lived in the apartment building for 18 years.  She & my mother have been friends for 15 years.  The watch the NASCAR races every Sunday.  They cook meals together.  Good friends, for sure.

On Thursday, Mom and I went driving to Benton, PA to check out some antique stores.  We had a great time.  When we got back, Mom got a call from Pat's medical emergency monitor that she had fallen.  We hurried over to Pat's apartment.  Pat was lying on the floor in her bathroom.  She seems to be rather unfazed by this fact.  Mom and I got her back into her wheelchair.  She insisted she was fine, but did admit she'd fallen 5 times that day.  This really distressed my mother.

She felt bad that Pat had such a bad day, while we were out enjoying the sunshine.  She didn't really say anything about it.  But I knew she had wished she'd been around to help Pat when she was needed.

I left for the airport very early Friday morning.  My husband and son picked me up in Little Rock, and we drove home in the rain.

When we got home, I called Mom to see how Pat was feeling.  Pat's daughter Becky had called 9-1-1 early that morning.  And just a few moments before I called, Becky had called and informed Mom that Pat had passed away.

I'm glad I had an opportunity to get to know Pat over the past week.  I'm glad I had an opportunity to help her when she needed help, even if it was only to help her when she fell.  I'm glad I got to eat Thanksgiving dinner with her.  What could be more appropriate?  Thanksgiving is about taking the time to be thankful for the people we have in our lives.  For the fact that we have family, a roof over our heads and food in our bellies. It's not about parades, football games or super shopping opportunities.  It's expressing the love we have in our hearts to the people we care about.

So in closing, I want to say "I love you" to my family and friends.  To the people who I see in my daily life.  Thanks for sharing this big old crazy ball flying through space with me.  I'm glad we're here together.