Thank You to My Loving Family
I appreciate you more every year

Thanksgiving week is giving me a chance to reflect on what and who I’m most grateful for in my life.
I want to take this week, and say thank you to those entities, people, and organizations that have had profound influences on my life.
I believe that when gratitude is expressed it creates ripples of joy into the universe. It has the power to change hearts and lives because it reminds us of how important we are to each other. And who doesn’t need more of these reminders?
Being that today is Thanksgiving I want to focus on my family.
Thanksgiving has always been an important day in my family. I remember the times as a child when we would go to Massachusetts to be with my grandparents. The dinner table would be full of delicious turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and of course pumpkin and apple pies. It was a feast. And it was a great time to connect with people I had not seen in a long time. It was wonderful!
I am grateful for those times. I have fond memories of Uncle Ted talking about why the chicken crosses the road, and me passing out on the couch after dinner because I had way too much to eat. My family has always been generous with the food.
My family has also been generous with love. They showed this love by always keeping a roof over my head, keeping food in the refrigerator, giving me a great education, and by taking good care of my health. I never felt neglected in these areas.
And, over the years my family has been there for me when I have been at my worst. There was a very challenging period in my life during the 1990s when they really came to my aid. I don’t believe I would have survived that time without them. And over the years they have been there to help with car issues, college issues, and a million other things that come up in everyday life.
I am grateful for the wonderful relationship that I have today with my dad Chester, my mom Terry, brother Chet, his wife Heide, and his two sons Kristopher and Kyle. Kristopher and Kyle have brought into our family their wonderful wives Marla and Whitney. Now we have the blessing of Wyatt who was born on October 15. And of course, my precious wife Rachel blessed me by marrying me in 2011. My family has accepted her in and loved her. I will be forever grateful for that. Rachel has in turn added her siblings. And so, the family continues to grow.
The family has grown over the years, and so has the love. I feel closer to my family than I ever have before. There is something sweet about the aging process. As I watch myself and my family members get older, I am learning to appreciate how short this life really is. I know everyone told me when I was growing up, but now I understand. Life with my family becomes more important every year.
What I didn’t appreciate when I was growing up was that love is a verb. It’s not just the words, but it’s also the actions that count. As an adult, I now understand why my parents did the things they did. It was out of love and kindness.
On this Thanksgiving Day, I want to let my family know how incredibly grateful I am for you. Your love continues to sustain me. After all these years I am grateful that I feel closer to you than I ever have. That’s a wonderful gift.
Happy Thanksgiving. I love and appreciate you!
Essay by John C. Davis ©2021 All Rights Reserved
