BRYCE ON LIFE
– Celebrating the many loves in our lives.
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Thanksgiving is a favorite of mine and I have written about it on numerous occasions (see below). It’s more than just the food, it’s about being around friends and family. It’s the telling of a joke or story, a fond memory, and a glass of cheer. All of this reflects on the love we have for those who surround us, to wit…
THE LOVES OF OUR LIVES
Throughout our lives we touch a lot of people.
Before you are born, you are the twinkle in your father’s eye.
When you are born, you warm your grandmothers’ hearts.
When you are a toddler, you are the apple of your mother’s eye.
When you are in grade school, you become the buddy of your grandfathers.
You form bonds with family and friends that often lasts a lifetime.
When you play well in a game, you are celebrated by your teammates.
As you enter your clumsy teenage years, you are the scourge of your parents,
But when you graduate from school, you are their pride.
As a young adult, you finally meet the love of your life.
When you marry, your mother is delighted but your father shed’s a tear.
When you have children of your own, your friends and family rejoice.
When you succeed at work, you are the toast of your business associates.
As you retire, you surround yourself with old friends and reminisce.
And when you are gone, you reside in the recesses of our loved ones’ memories, all of whom you have touched.
Each person touches many lives, not only receiving love but passing it on to others as well.
And when we gather around the Thanksgiving table, let us give thanks for the blessings we have and the love we share.
Happy Thanksgiving.
My other columns on Thanksgiving:
* Tim’s 2017 Thanksgiving Grace (Huffington Post, 11/22/2017)
* How not to cook a Thanksgiving Dinner (11/23/2016)
* A Thanksgiving Moment (11/27/2013)
* What are we giving Thanks to? (11/20/2012)
Keep the Faith!
P.S. – Also do not forget my new books, “How to Run a Nonprofit” and “Tim’s Senior Moments”, both available in Printed and eBook form. Great holiday gifts!
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Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com
For Tim’s columns, see: timbryce.com
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Copyright © 2019 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
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I was making a sandwich the other day, and as I opened a loaf of bread I observed the heel customarily unclaimed by other members of the family. I, of course, took it to build my sandwich. Only then did I stop to think how many times I had done this over the years as my family seems to have an aversion to eating the heel and, consequently, it was always earmarked for my consumption exclusively. It’s not that I relish eating the heel, I just don’t want to see it go to waste. I then started to think about the other attributes that distinguish fathers. For example:
Perhaps the most common joke at a high school reunion is when someone inevitably makes the observation, “Gee, when did we become our parents?” To me, the answer is simple: at age 40. Actually, a lot depends on when we were born as well as our offspring, but it is fair to say the transformation begins in our early 40’s. In our twenties, most of us are still learning to spread our wings and begin our careers. Lust typically raises its ugly head during this period, and along comes children. At this stage, I don’t think we’re our parents quite yet as we are still learning to find our way through the world and how to cope with the ankle-biters around us.
In lieu of the riots in Baltimore, I thought I would talk about the importance of family values. Like millions of people, I watched in horror at the “protestors” on television. Perhaps a better name is “rioters” or “thugs” (regardless if it is politically correct or not, it is an apt description). The brightest spot though, was 
One of the reasons I enjoy Thanksgiving is because it is one of the few holidays where we do not have to exchange gifts. We simply get together with family and friends and enjoy the company. Maybe we’ll watch a parade on television or perhaps some football, but it’s the communal experience which I enjoy the most. For some reason, the preparation of the meal is less of a chore and more of a pleasure, probably because we realize it is designed for many people on a special day.
My grandmother used to be fond of saying, “Most children are raised by amateurs, not professionals,” and I think she really hit the nail on the head with this one. Regardless of how much you read or the classes you attend, nothing really prepares you properly for parenthood. Only by experiencing it and looking back afterwards do you appreciate what is needed to be an effective mother and father, but then again, it’s too late.
Holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas typically bring members of the family together, as does family vacations and anniversaries. Inevitably, family members open their homes and share quarters with loved ones traveling from out of town. Perhaps you’ll go home to see your parents and stay in your old room or stay with one of your siblings. Such close quarters are certainly appreciated, but they also have a tendency to drive people crazy, both the host and the guest, regardless how much we love our family.
Coming from a male dominated family, I missed out on having a sister. I always found the discourse of men and women to be rather interesting. They are entirely different. Men like to get to the point in their discussions, they enjoy a good joke, and like to BS about trivialities like sports and business. I find the banter of women to also be interesting yet substantially different than men. I think most like to size each other up and talk about family and events within their circle. Nonetheless, I find the talk between men and women to be substantially different than when they are amongst their own gender. They are either cordial, flirtatious, or candidly talk on the square, such as that between a brother and a sister. I have a son and daughter and have always admired their relationship as they tell each other things they wouldn’t normally tell their best friends or parents.
* Mother’s spit has cured scratches, bruises and fixed millions of projects.
Naturally, we all love our children, but it has always bothered me how parents want to impress you with how much better their kids are than your own. I remember years ago hearing a friend brag to me, “Well, our little girl has been accepted into Montessori school.” I would counter by saying, “Gee, I didn’t know she was having a problem.” I don’t think he saw the humor in this.
THE BRYCE IS RIGHT! 