He bows his head. Twelve men bow, too. I bow. And he says nothing. Not even a word. The music in the restaurant is still playing overhead. Don Williams is singing about Amanda. People are eating. Clinking plates.

The men’s breakfast. I am here with twelve unsupervised elderly men. Baptist men who all tuck their shirts into pressed slacks.

Baptist men always wear tucked-in shirts with pressed slacks. Even when they go swimming.

I give Baptists a hard time because I descend from them. But they are magnificent people, with kind hearts, tender spirits, and they know all the words to the fourth verse of “Amazing Grace.”

I’m here today because Larry invited me.

“This is Sean,” Larry announces to the group.

Many of these men are hard of hearing. One man calls me “Shane” when he shakes my hand—which is a common mistake. Another man calls me “John”—also a common mistake. And one man with two hearing aids pumps my hand and says, “Thanks for coming today, Dominick.”

A waitress takes our orders. One man orders fruit and oatmeal. Another orders pancakes. The man next to me, Ron, orders a double meat breakfast with extra bacon and cheese grits.

“My wife has me on a diet,” Ron explains.

I order eggs over medium, toast, and coffee.

When food arrives, no man touches his plate. Larry, rises to his feet and asks for prayer requests.

One man asks for prayer regarding kidney stones.

Men offer their condolences.

Another man asks, “Would y’all remember my son, today? He’s gonna be starting a new job, he deserves to be happy. We love him so much.”

And one old man removes his ball cap. The man has a gentle smile. He glances at his lap and says, “Please pray for my dog, he’s finally old enough for us to tell him he’s adopted.”

A mushroom cloud of laughs.

You have to love Baptists.

Another man speaks up: “I don’t have anything to pray for. I’m just filled to the brim with thanks.”

“Me too.”

“Here, here.”

“Pray for my granddaughter’s tonsil surgery.”

“And for my daughter, she’s going through a rough time with her ex.”

“Pray for a kid on my street, he just lost his mother.”

“My wife’s starting radiation this week.”

Around the table it goes. Man after man. And the wheel lands on me. In this moment, I am replaying my life.

My triumphs—the time I ate two watermelons at the fairgrounds. My failures—the time I wet my pants in an Atlanta traffic jam then got pulled over by a highway patrolman ten minutes later.

My family—the people who muscled me through some very hard times.

My wife—the woman who explained to the highway patrolman that I had drank too much coffee.

And I remembered the day I stood at the altar beside that woman. She was wearing a long white dress. And I remembered after the ceremony, when I announced to a reception hall that I was the luckiest man in the world. I still am.

“I’m just thankful,” I say.

I receive a round of hearty agreement. Pats on the back. Winks. And in this room, we are all people with similar lives. We are humans, who love breakfast.

When the requests are done, I expect Larry to offer a prayer much like the prayers of my youth. The people I come from offered lengthy incantations before meals that lasted about the length of a 1989 World Series.

By the end of those childhood prayers, Sister Andress would have locked knees, Bill Donahue would have the shakes, and three men would’ve suffered severe diabetic comas.

Larry’s prayer is nothing like that.

He bows his head. Twelve men bow. I bow. And he says nothing. Not even a word.

The music in the restaurant is still playing overhead. Don Williams is singing about Amanda. People are eating. Clinking plates.

But these twelve Baptists are silent. Eyes closed. Easy smiles. These men are my ancestors. For better or worse.

Feelings rise in me. I realize that I am not quite a Baptist anymore. In fact, I don’t even know what I am. I’m everything, I suppose. And right now, all I know is that I am thankful.

For the beautiful things that await me back home. For things I will see when I pull in my driveway. My wife will be wearing exercise clothes, because it’s morning—she rides her bike in the mornings. My two dogs will run toward me, making serious attempts to give me a concussion.

There will be barking. There will be excitement. There will be warmth. I will see my mansion on wheels, poised within the longleaf pines of the Choctawhatchee Bay.

And, Lord-willing, I will spend today taking apart an old fishing reel, and putting it back together. My dogs will wrestle. My wife will make cornbread.

I am just grateful to be alive so that I can see it all. I am grateful for these hot eggs, this coffee. This life. And for sturdy old men in slacks.

But most of all, I give thanks that my name is not Shane, John, or Dominick.

Amen.

27 comments

  1. Sandi in FL. - October 4, 2018 6:10 am

    Amusing piece, Sean. I’m thankful that there are no denominations in Heaven!

    Reply
  2. Karen - October 4, 2018 9:11 am

    Here is one thing I have learned. It is hard to be unhappy or angry when you are thankful. When you stop to think of all of your blessings, you can’t help but feel grateful and happy. I am thankful for God’s grace and His mercy, and I am not even a Baptist.
    This is a wonderful story. I enjoy reading your stories and seeing your drawings each morning. Thank you.

    Reply
  3. Nancy Thomaston Rogers - October 4, 2018 9:40 am

    Can I get an amen? Amen.

    Reply
    • Sid Whiting - November 29, 2018 2:56 pm

      Amen!

      Reply
  4. LeAnne Martin - October 4, 2018 11:28 am

    Sean, this is so gorgeous. It makes me long for my daddy. And cheese grits. Thank you!

    Reply
  5. Kathy thomson - October 4, 2018 12:12 pm

    I love your posts!! Keep me coming. Also, have you read any Frederic Buechner? He writes beautifully and his book Telling Secrets is about his fathers suicide when he was 11.
    Thank you for your writings!

    Reply
  6. Connie Havard Ryland - October 4, 2018 12:29 pm

    Beautiful. Thank you.

    Reply
  7. Liz Watkins - October 4, 2018 12:38 pm

    It always amazes me how your writings put me right where you are! I smelled the coffee, eggs, grits and pancakes!! I put faces on all the men!
    I’d love for you to visit our little town, Grand Isle, La. The only inhabited island on the La coast!
    Population about 1500, that grows to around 10-15,000 in the summer time. We had a subway but it just closed a few days ago. 2 grocery stores, 2 souvenir shops, and a Catholic and Baptist Church, and several hotels owned by locals. It’s a fascinating place to be. The people here are so friendly and love to tell their stories of back in the day!
    You’d have some great material to write about and to share with this beautiful world!
    God Bless!
    Liz Watkins

    Reply
  8. paula jones - October 4, 2018 2:03 pm

    This mad eye think of you and Thelma Lou . . .

    Reply
    • paula jones - October 4, 2018 2:03 pm

      Mede me, not mad eye 😉

      Reply
      • paula jones - October 4, 2018 2:04 pm

        MADE

        Reply
  9. Johnnie B - October 4, 2018 2:03 pm

    Sometimes it feels good to be on this side of Heaven. 🙂

    Reply
  10. Nancy - October 4, 2018 2:08 pm

    Thanks for your stories. I’m an aging southern liberal. My despair over toxic politics is eased a bit when I read about your encounters with good country people. My favorite writers are David Sedaris, Anne Lamott and You. Thanks again.

    Reply
  11. Janie's Jottings - October 4, 2018 2:17 pm

    As a Baptist I loved this! Perfect Sean!!!

    Reply
  12. Carol - October 4, 2018 2:18 pm

    AMEN ? ME TOO!!
    Love ya!

    Reply
  13. Barbara Pope - October 4, 2018 2:48 pm

    Whoever you are–you are blessed to live in the moment.

    Reply
  14. Mark E Adamson - October 4, 2018 3:02 pm

    Thanks for your stories. I’m an aging northern conservative. My despair over toxic politics is eased a bit when I read about your encounters with good country people. We must always remember there are LOTS of good people. Both Democrats and Republicans. The bad ones just get all the press. Thanks for focusing a bright light on good people. Thank God for good people. And, old men.

    Reply
  15. Shelton Armour - October 4, 2018 4:58 pm

    I am also so thankful…my cup runs over.

    Reply
  16. Edna B. - October 4, 2018 5:49 pm

    I, too, am very thankful. Every day I wake up is a gift. Thank you so much to you and Paula Jones for sharing that video. I just loved it. My little Pogo came from a rescue when he was six years, and I share everything with him and take him most everywhere I go. We’ve had six wonderful years together, and I’m wanting another forty at least. God Bless you and have a wonderful day. Hugs, Edna B.

    Reply
  17. Robert Chiles - October 4, 2018 8:31 pm

    If you’re ever called upon to offer a blessing on short notice, I have one that works: “Lord, bless the food upon the dishes, as Thou hast blessed the loaves and fishes; as the sugar in the tea, so may we be lost in Thee.”

    Reply
    • theholtgirls - October 4, 2018 9:08 pm

      “…as the sugar in the tea, so may we be lost in Thee.”
      Robert, I’ve never heard this before, but I love it. Thank you!

      Sean, I’m thankful for you and for your readers!

      Reply
  18. perry5360 - October 4, 2018 11:10 pm

    No better feeling than being glad to be alive, to be surrounded by those you love and love you. Like a little piece of heaven right here right now. Just wallow in it, just like your breakfast companions…Thank you God it’s good to be alive!!

    T

    Reply
  19. Stuart - October 5, 2018 3:40 am

    Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

    Reply
  20. Estelle S Davis - January 25, 2019 11:10 pm

    Loved the video. A dog is pure love. Mine is curled up beside me in bed. She was waiting for me at the door when I came back from the doctor’s office.
    Sean your writings brings out the best in people.

    Reply
  21. John Lucas Hutchinson - January 21, 2021 2:52 pm

    You had to be at the Scenic 90 Cafe in Pensacola with the Baptist men who meet there once a week….

    Reply
  22. Karen - January 22, 2021 1:51 pm

    My cup runneth over and I am thankful for my life.

    Reply
  23. Jan-e - January 22, 2021 11:46 pm

    Me, too, just thankful.

    Reply

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