Jacob Voges, Clay Greene, Cody Fee, - Future "Thanks-Giving"

I am confident that by now you know or understand I have a strong attachment to the theme of “Thanks-Giving”. There are so many things about the season and this time of the year that I just love. Having the opportunity to reflect and think back about this year and my lifetime, the experiences I have had, the people I have met, the places I’ve been and the books I have read are always good for me, and I hope you have enjoyed my thoughts of “Thanks-Giving” 2013. One of the things I really like about life is meeting people. I enjoy sharing stories and applying the “Six Degrees of Separation” theory is also a lot of fun for me. My final “Thanks-Giving” of 2013 is all about a single moment of “Six Degrees of Separation” involving three juniors from Middlesboro High School in Bell County, Kentucky. They are: Jacob Voges; Clay Green; and Cody Fee; These three are all juniors and are all straight ‘A’ students too. The setting is a crazy one, and I learned a long time ago the best thing to do with life is make the best of it, wherever you are. I was on top of a mountain, with thousands of 4-wheelers riding around, and folks from everywhere. I should mention there was a lot of dust and me, I was selling hotdogs! I saw friends from Laurel County, Harlan, Whitley, Rockcastle,and cousins from Knox County. Folks were from Claiborne County, Tennessee, and I met people I didn’t know from Indiana, Georgia and even Michigan. They had gathered for a “Hollor Crawler” event or it was called something like that and we were all on Mountain Drive off of U.S. 119 in Bell County. It was here that I met Jacob, Clay and Cody. After standing on feet, on gravels, I discovered a need to make this task of selling hotdogs fun and I had started speaking and even singing a little jingle I had made up. “Hot Dogs, Chips and a Soda $5., best deal on the hill and I will even squirt the mustard”. Most folks would listen, laugh & smile, and yes, I did sold a lot of mountain specials too. It was my way of having fun, and I considered it a challenge to get the attention of some folks and to see if I could get them to smile. It was during my routine that I spotted these three, Jacob, Clay and Cody. The skinniest of the three (I would later learn to be Jacob) responded to my little jingle with “man I would love a hotdog but I am broke, I don’t have any money”. It was then my Christian compassion set in and thinking he and his friends might starve to death I said ok, come on over and I will pay for it. The conversation was free flowing then, we were smiling and laughing and I was having a blast, and I’m pretty sure they were too. It was then, the theory of “Six Degrees of Separation” kicked in. We older folks know what the first questions we ask of a young person, “Who is your parents”? “Where are you from”. I am pretty sure most teenagers understand and immediately are sizing us up as old and outdated. Such as maybe the case, nevertheless I was going to use this moment of fun to meet three new folks in this big world and this journey called life, and I am glad I did. I am including them as a part of my “Thanks-Giving” because of the experience. Now when I write that Jacob was the skinny one, he is. Later when I met his father I said do you all feed this kid at home, looks like he’s starving. You should know we were laughing at great levels of fun knowing I was pretty sure he was being fed at home but was just a bean pole in size. I should share that my impression was that he was a smart bean pole and was keeping up with conversation, questions, and we were having a lot of fun. In the rapid fire conversation we were connecting on all kinds of fronts. From his German background to his parents work, and even on food, it was connection time. Clay Green was not excluded from the conversation. He was laughing and he has a great sense of humor and love for good fun too. You know how we are here in the mountains. When you discover that you have connections for distant cousins, you claim kin. I did with Clay, naming him my new found cousin because of the Green Family and a connection with cousins of mine. I connected with Cody Fee because of my love for a Route 44 Limeade from Sonic! It could be that Cody is the smartest one out of the three since he had a job, was working and had cash. I’ll leave that debate for these three to hammer out later. Jacob, Clay and Cody make my list of “Thanks-Giving” because they represent the best of young people. They are bright, intelligent, fun, can carry on a conversation, have opinions, can debate and they too were seizing a single moment of life, making the best of it. That was impressive to me. I haven’t seen them sense, and may never see them again, but I hope not. I look forward to writing 20 years from now about their successes and when I met them on a mountain top. Until then.

"Thanks-Giving" will you join me? My yearly practice has begun

Welcome to my favorite time of the year! There are many reasons why I so enjoy the fall season. The leaves turning the world into a beautiful colorful landscape is just one of my reasons. I enjoy the cold temperatures. I like the cold wind blowing that is cold enough to make your bones chill. I enjoy staying close to a fire outside so the front of your body feels like it is on fire and your back side is freezing off. Yes, these are all reasons why I love this time of the year. The most important reason to me is that I am able to turn the month of November into a month of “Thanks – Giving”. I guess one of the reasons I have taken on this personal project I call “Thanks – Giving” is because the retail world takes no time at all for Thanksgiving except for promotion of their turkey sales around the Thanksgiving Holiday. To be honest, if you watch families, they too take very little time to honor the importance of the Thanksgiving Holiday. Most families are so excited about Halloween and the approach of Christmas that only on Thanksgiving Day, if then, is there any pause for what this holiday is all about. It should be noted that only in America do we celebrate Thanksgiving, and it should be a very special time of the year instead of just another day, with of course turkey, ham and pumpkin pie that we add to the that day’s schedule. Several years ago I began making this time of the year my personal season of “Thanks – Giving” and I did so by reflecting and thinking back through the year and other years for that matter, and remembering people, places, experiences and even some books I have read. I want to write and say that I have always been a thankful person. I know beyond any shadow of a doubt I can say I have always been thankful for the things I wanted, that I received. My mind is spinning as I attempt to recall all the things I should have been thankful for that I didn’t receive. Living a life of “Thanks – Giving” is not exactly the way most folks wake up with each morning. I personally believe that in order to live such a life it must be a deliberate, intentional and purposed plan if we are to be successful. I am embarrassed to say and think that I have not always been a positive person, cherishing the moments of life as they occur. No doubt, friends that will read this, and those of you who know me personally will say I am always smiling, I am always having fun, and that I have a strong positive outlook on life. Thanks, and I can agree but I also know I have my moments too. Thus I believe writing about this and encouraging people to create their own “Thanks – Giving” season is a good thing to do. As I have been preparing for these “Thanks – Giving” columns I have had a lot of fun. Just thinking back about different moments has been one way to count my blessings several times over. There is no need to reinvent the wheel as they say, so counting your blessings and naming them one by one will do you some good too if you will take the time to write them down. I know it seems crazy, and if you ask anyone their opinion about blessings and things to be thankful for, folks will say you are on the right track, but the failure comes in not following through and actually writing them down, naming them and proclaiming yourself thankful. This process will take a little time, some effort, reflection, energy and excitement for the project. I will encourage you now to be broad minded in your thoughts and reflection. It is easy to name your family members, but you might find it a little more challenging with you start to name their acts that cause you to be “Thanks – Giving” in attitude. In your broad vision don’t be afraid to mention the everyday stuff. Some of the greatest little gifts in life come from some of the most normal routines that we complete all the time. Union College in Barbourville at one time had a slogan. It was “Think outside yourself”. At first glance the slogan might seem a little strange, but when you reflect upon the thought, it is pretty awesome. From time to time I believe life requires us to do just that kind of thinking. If you don’t look outside yourself, first you might just miss something that is designed specifically for you. Second, if you don’t look outside yourself it is very possible that you will miss a golden opportunity to make someone’s day by using your gifts and talents. Get ready for my favorite time of the year, “Thanks – Giving”. You and I have this moment to share our ‘thanks’. We have this moment to do some ‘giving’ to others. Until then