What I am Thankful For.



     On this my 61st Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful just for being here.  After surviving a heart attack almost 8 years ago, through the grace of God, who gave me two extra arteries to the front of my heart, I hope I am overcoming a seemingly unavoidable aversion to 40 plus kidney stone attacks, I thank my physicians for finally balancing the chemicals in my body to try to make those tiny little bad boogers to go away. To my new pain specialist, Dr. Joseph Hardman, thanks for the pain shots to stop those bad bones in my back from bothering me.



I am grateful to all of those who have read and enjoyed my 1100 plus columns and countless historical and current photographs over the last 20 years in the Dublin Courier and around the world via the Internet.  I am overly humbled and honestly right proud of the fact that more than 1.1 million  persons, from dozens of countries, have taken a few moments out of their busy lives and looked at my blog over the last 9 years.

       Thank you to my Braswell ancestors who gave me the gift to tell the stories, stories of men like Frank Corry, who as an 18-year-old boy corpsman landed with the Marines on the beaches of Peleliu, the deadliest battle of the South Pacific in World War II.  Thanks to all veterans who have sacrificed so much to make us all free.

I am lucky to blessed with a loving wife Kathy, whose heart is a big as a mountain.  She has never met or seen a helpless animal which she didn’t want to pick up, comfort and love.  I am grateful for the days and the long nights which this selfless angel holds battered and broken canines and sings to them to ease their pains.  The dogs love it too!

And when I hurt, she is right there to lift my spirits as well.  

I am blessed to have three wonderful, successful children.  My girls work with and for children every workday of their lives.  My son tells his readers the stories of their community pointing the way to a better community in which he works in.    I am grateful that he was able to get an up front and close inside look at the hateful and vitriolic presidential campaign by covering or interviewing most of the presidential candidates.  I hope his experiences and yours will lead to a demand for a more civil campaign by persons who leave their greed,, selfishness, and egos behind them as they take office.

There is nothing more precious to a senior adult like me than a grandchild.  Hey, Jude!  I hope you never have any sad songs.

Hail and farewell to a few of my good friends, whom I have met along the way and who have gone to a greater place;   Nan Scarboro, Farrell Nichols, Barbara Shepard, Sam Thompson, Carolyn Smalley, Bill Thomas, Dub Anderson, Nadine Edwards, Barbara Vaughn, Dot Towson, and  too, too many more.  May the Lord always be with you.

And here’s to the late Arnold Palmer.  I could never play golf well, but I could watch you place and talk with the grace of the a gentleman.

I am thankful for those who work for me and with me and all of the thousands of clients who have put their faith in me.

Although, I have never liked the Dodgers, Vin Scully, enjoy your retirement.  I could listen to your calls of the Dodger games for the rest of my life.  And to the late Joe Garigiolo, I miss you talking about baseball. And so long to Harper Lee, and Pat Conroy and your books about people like us.

I am grateful for those who comfort the sick and the needy.  A great big thank you to the men and women in blue, green, brown, camo, white and black who go to work everyday and never know when they will never come home to their families.


I am grateful for those who have faith, hope and love for they have set their course for a blessed eternity.

And finally, I am grateful for old dogs, new friends, first impressions, second chances, cool nights, hot biscuits, rainy days, long walks on the beach and a chance to stop and smell the daffodils.

What are you thankful for?