Tag Archives: family

Thank Granted

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Thank Granted

Nov10-4First things first – HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!  Thanksgiving is the perfect time to surround yourself with family and friends and to give thanks for all of the blessings that you have received.  It’s always easy to give thanks for the new house that we’ve purchased.  It’s a given to praise our new relationship, engagement ring or sacred wedding vows.  Oh, and don’t forget the celebrations of a new born child or a full-time job.

However, Thanksgiving is not a happy time for all people.  Just ask the person whose parent just passed away.  Speak to the person who was told their cancer has come back.  What about the person that has been without a job for over a year and just wishes someone/anyone would give him/her a chance?

During Thanksgiving we always seem to focus on celebrating the BIG things in our lives. But when do we take the time to celebrate those small (yet equally important) things that we so often take for granted?  This holiday season, try to leave some time to remember and give thanks to the valuable lessons you have learned.  Maybe you feel fortunate for the sweet potato casserole recipe you grandmother taught you how to make.  Perhaps it’s the fact that your next door neighbor always says hello in the morning as you head to work. Or what about your favorite artist or author coming out with a new CD or book?   How about being thankful that you have two hours every Sunday afternoon to do nothing but relax?!

Regardless of your situation, just know that there are blessings all around you.  If you can walk, see and speak – you’re more fortunate than someone else.  If you have at least one friend that truly cares, you’re doing well.  If there is some type of food on your table, your meal is a success.  We all have times of trials and times of tribulations.  If you’re currently at a low in your life, make sure you still celebrate the successes of those around you.  Because, when your story changes and things start working out for the better, you’ll want those same people to be cheering for you.  You are important. You are wonderful.  You are valued.  Thank you for being a part of the OnyxLouisville community.  I appreciate you!

M.Y. November 2010

It’s All Relative

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It’s All Relative!

Nov09-4This weekend I went to an early Thanksgiving dinner with some of my family that came in town.  It was an interesting event because it wasn’t really my immediate family, but more of my family’s family (on the other side).

To my surprise, I received a Facebook message from James Bentley asking if we were related because he’d be attending the same event.  I knew Louisville was small, but was it really that small to now we are all related to each other?

See, my father T. Steve Yeager had a brother named Philip.  My uncle Philip married Juanita Gibson.  Aunt Juanita had a brother named Joe.  Joe married a lady named Tilly (my father was the best man in their wedding).  Tilly has a sister named Margaret.  Margaret’s son is James Bentley.  WOW-O-WOW!!!  So why we are technically not blood relatives, we are all part of one big, diverse family!

The event was held at James’  fire station.  James pretty much cooked all the food for almost 50 people, and let me tell you – THE BROTHA CAN COOK!!!  We had all the fixings you could imagine and the turkey just melted in your mouth.  I heard his wife Adrayna is just as much a champion chef!

I always get a little down during the holidays because I miss my family traditions and aren’t yet in a point in my life where I’ve started to create new ones.  However this weekend showed me that love and family exist in many ways.  The day before this event, my office had our Thanksgiving lunch catered from Huber’s.  It’s always great to kick it with the work crew.  I’ve learned to appreciate every Thanksgiving opportunity.  This holiday season, please remember those with little family or friends around.  Invite them to join you – it may be a small gesture from you, but it could mean the world to them!

Happy Thanksgiving!

M.Y.  November 2009

Rest in Peace

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Rest In Peace?

Aug09-2My grandmother (my mother’s mother) recently passed away so I traveled to Georgia for the funeral.  I didn’t just go to any part of GA.  No, I went to Bainbridge which is about as far north as you can go in the state before running into Tallahassee, FL.  I went there a lot growing up and always looked forward to my grandma’s homemade chocolate cakes.  But, I also remembered the gnats and how they seemed to outnumber the general population (there are 12,000 people in the town spread out over only 19 square miles).  Small town, yes indeed.

It was good to visit again.  I met people that I had no clue who they were, but they knew everything about me.  Some introduced themselves as cousins that I never knew existed.  Everyone was very welcoming and wanted to accommodate Ms. Lottie Martin’s family.  The funeral was in a small country church and it was packed with people. Any empty spaces were filled with gnats once again.  They didn’t bite like mosquitoes, but they flew around you just enough to make you feel temporary insanity.

I enjoyed hearing the memories the community shared about my grandmother.  My mother was the oldest child, and only girl, with four younger brothers.  It was also soothing to hear stories people shared with growing up with my mother and learning about the stories from back-in-the-day.  After we left, we headed to my grandma’s house and I discovered albums and boxes of photos of my family.
All was well, until I arrived home and received ‘the phone call’.  One of my relatives, I won’t name any names, always seems to want to complain about everything.  This time she was calling me to rant and rave about how the service was done.  She didn’t like the program.  She didn’t like the service.  She talked about how she would have done it differently.  And you know what?  I didn’t really care what she had to say.

Anyone that has ever had to plan a funeral knows that it is a very rapid process. You are grieving and at the same time trying to make every detail right.  It’s not easy.  I did it for my mother.  There’s the entombment, the funeral, the burial, the bills, the bills, the emotions.  I put the mute button on my relative and her complaints.  There are some people that are never happy and try to make you unhappy with them.  You have to just brush them off, love them from afar, and keep your positive thoughts close to your heart.  Don’t let them bring you down.

M.Y.  August 2009

What Really Matter

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What Really Matters

Feb09-3My friend Ty invited me to a Boston Celtics home game.  Any game, my choice.  I checked the schedule and the Lakers game ended up being my preference.  So, I flew up north to Boston for my first visit to the MA and CT area.  And boy was it cold. After leaving the airport, we headed to Ray Allen’s house (he and Ty are good friends).  Ray had already headed to the game, but I was able to meet Ray’s wife Shannon (who is expecting) and their other two young sons ‘Walkie’ and ‘Ray Ray’.  Shannon was very nice and the kids were as cute as can be.

We walked through the cold to get to the game and every seat was full.  We took our seats in the lower level and the game was action packed.  Like always, Kobe brought his “A game”. The game went into overtime and the crowd stayed on their feet.  As the clock ticks at the end of the game with the Lakers up by one, Ray has the ball. This is it, baby.  All or nothing.  As the last second runs out, it looks like Ray is fouled.  The crowd waits for the call – nothing.  Game over, Lakers win.  Suddenly everyone in the Garden is booing, but there is nothing that can be done.

Ty was pretty bummed that the Celtics lost.  We went down and stood next to Ray’s business manager. He said, “It’s just one loss. It’s not the end of the world.  Think about their record overall”.  We continued walking to the area where all the players wait for their families.  There were cute little kids running around everywhere.  I met Rajon’s girlfriend and enjoyed talking to her about Louisville.  I wondered how upset Ray would be when he came out.

Out he emerges.  He takes about 10 steps out, stops and squats down.  Up run his sons at full speed and they just embrace each other for an extended amount of time.  It was a father/sons moment and nothing else around seemed to matter.  It was then that I noticed that it really wasn’t about winning or losing.  At the end of the night, it was about being surrounded by those you love.

We all walked out together.  Shannon and crew headed home, Ray headed to the airport to fly to the next game.  I needed a happy moment too, so Ty ever so greatly said “Hey Ray, Michelle came up here all the way from Louisville to watch the game.  Would you sign this jersey for her?”  He looked VERY exhausted and like the only thing he wanted to do was get in his car and go.  But, I flashed that Yeager smile and said, “I’d really appreciate it!”  And with the stroke of a pen, it was done!  Thanks Ray!  Thanks Ty!

M.Y. February