I share the tough times
with you so much, so I think it’s only fair that I talk about the
good times, and there have been plenty of those as of late.
First of all, I had an
experience yesterday that strengthened my belief about prayer. I had
posted something on Facebook a few weeks ago wondering about prayer
and if things got answered. I was honest about my lack of faith
sometimes. Well, without going into the situation too much, yesterday
on the way back from Nashville, I had one of the most honest prayers
that I have ever had – about what I had done wrong in my life (a’
plenty), what I had done right, and some fears that I had. As I was
driving down Highway 100 through Percy Warner Park, I felt it. I
didn’t know if it was peace, but as I said, it wasn’t a prayer of
“I need this, God, please.” but of just ‘Hear Me.’
I know I am being
somewhat vague, but within twenty minutes I got a phone call. It
didn’t take away every cloud in the sky, nor did it solve
everything that I needed to work on, but as I approached Fairview, a
couple of things that I was worried about disappeared. One day at a
time.....I don’t know what the answers to all of life’s little
questions are, but maybe it’s not about worrying on things that may
or may not happen....but taking one day at a time. I hope I’m wise
to realize this in the future as much as I am tonight...
Secondly, I achieved a
major plateau in my career Monday night in Birmingham, Alabama. I got
to interview Kenny Rogers prior to a promotional appearance regarding
his new autobiography. I am not going to ramble on and on about it,
but it was a neat experience getting talk time with someone who has
been one of your heroes. I have been blessed, fortunate, whatever you
want to call it, to get to spend time with people that I am fans of,
but every now and then, you get to do something a little special –
your Kenny, Dolly, or Oaks don’t come along every day...I get that,
and trust me, nobody appreciates it any more than I do, I promise
you.
With that in mind, I
have thought over the past few days about the word “Hero,” and
what it means to me. I realize that I have been very fortunate to
know some people who have inspired me – that you won’t see on the
front page. I’d like to tell you about a few of them:
Jim Anderson: I met Jim
for the first time back in the early 1990s, when I started at WDKN.
Over the years, I have always enjoyed being around him and his wife
Bobbie. Having gone through some of life’s changes the past few
years, I appreciate his honesty about what he has went through. I
just hope I come out on the other end as good as you have, Jim. I’m
still trying to feel my way.
Jackie Bledsoe: One of
many great coaches I have worked with in one form or the other. There
have been (and are) some great ones, but there is none any finer. Out
of all the coaches I have worked with, save my broadcasting partner
Ed Sheley – who I would put in the same league, I have probably had
the longest non-sports conversation with him than any other coach –
at my mother’s visitation. Don’t get me wrong, many came that
day. But, an hour of sharing thoughts about what he went through with
his father meant the world to me then, and still does – though I
could never get on but one coaches’ show!
Glynn “Chunky”
Brown: I don’t know if I have ever thought about Glynn as much as I
do his nickname, “Chunky.” When I first started attending Church,
he was one of the first people I met. He was a friend of my father’s,
but he was also a deep influence on me. To this day, I never see a
pack of Juicy Fruit that I don’t think of getting one every Sunday
morning as a kid. He and I also talked football a lot, as well. It’s
arguable, I guess, but in my sometimes not-so-humble opinion, I think
that were it not for Chunky Brown, the Burns Church of Christ might
not have survived some tough times in the late 1980s. Nowadays, it
thrives with great leadership in the form of elders and deacons, but
I remember a time when there were none – and there were barely
enough of us to cover a service. I miss him a lot, and I think
there’s a Peyton Manning fan out there that feels the same way too.
John Clore: I don’t
know how long I’ve known John, but I’ve got to say that he’s
one of the most top-notch people that you will ever be around. He’s
one of the town’s top publicists, but even though he’s good at
his job, that doesn’t have a lot to do with why he’s on this
list. He’s a prime example of how to balance life and career. I’m
38, and still learning. He’s got me by a few years. One of the
best all-around people in the crazy world of the music business –
proof you don’t have to do it 24 / 7 to be a success. As I said, I
am still learning!
Lewis Grizzard: OK, I
never met him. Though I did talk to him one time as he was the
morning guest on WSM Radio. It his his 1989 book CHILI DOGS ALWAYS
BARK AT NIGHT (also won on WSM) that inspired some of my humor, and
also inspired me to write. I wish I could be as great of a writer as
he was, but nobody has done so since his passing in 1994, and I’m
not looking for anyone to come down the pike anytime soon. He managed
to weave stories about such iconic subjects as politics, the SEC –
most importantly Georgia football, and that queen of Moreland, GA-
Kathy Sue Loudermilk, that conjured up my imagination. What would
Grizzard have had to say about the Braves of the late 1990s,
Lewinsky, 9/11, or Snooki? When I get to that newsroom up there, I
would love to know!
Janie Grove: The former
“First Lady” of my hometown, Burns, TN, Janie was an inspiration
to everyone she ever came around. She lived with grace, and she
fought with grace. I could tell you the many ways she touched my
life, but her son Jason told me one that trumps it. As director of
the Dickson Help Center, she touched so many lives without anyone
even knowing it. He has told me so many times about people coming up
to him and telling him how she touched their lives. That is what you
call a legacy.
Dean Roberts: Dean is
my first cousin, and lives in Florida. Aside from family get
togethers, I’m not going to say that I know him that well, but he
is very active in something that I admire and respect him for. He
does a lot of work for some of the local humane organizations down
there, and is quite often posting about some of the animals on
Facebook. It takes a special heart to do that, and as someone who
loves his animals, I appreciate and applaud him for what he does!
Joanna Gibson: I
debated about calling her “Joanne,” but she probably would kill
me. I met this brilliant and beautiful person back in 2006. If you
want to know the definition of a “worker,” look no further. Few
of us puts in the hours at her three jobs that she does to take care
of her family. And, after most wouldn’t care, she does.
