Giving Thanks To My Parents

Thanksgiving has become a bit more sentimental for me in the past few years. In 2005, my dad was recovering in the hospital from pneumonia and it was the last Thanksgiving he was with us. Since then, my mom broke her hip in a fall and had to go into a nursing home. In 2007, we spent Thanksgiving with her at the nursing home. For each of these Thanksgivings, I wanted to make sure I also thanked my parents for everything they had done.

In 2005, I optimistically believed that my dad would recover and didn't expect it be our last Thanksgiving together. However, I still took the opportunity to tell him that he was a great father to me, and I thanked him for everything he had done. While we didn't many have heart to heart discussions, my dad had always been there for me when I needed him. I'm glad that I didn't miss the chance to say, "Thank you for everything" before his passing. I'm glad he heard me say it, even though I think he always knew.

This year, I told my mom that she was a great mom and thanked her for everything. In her typical modesty, she said, " I'm just happy we could be with you through college and until you were out on your own." We reminisced about my childhood - favorite foods, activities and other memories. I was very glad that I said "thanks" to her.

In both cases, I felt that time had gone by so fast. In the past, I never thought about my parents being this old and didn't say thanks often enough. Now with time seeming to pass even faster, I definitely want make sure my mom hears "Thanks" from me many more times.

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Photo Credit: morgueFile.com, Dawn M. Turner

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