GREENSBORO, N.C. — Two days before Thanksgiving, my family suffered a major loss. My grandparents lost their home and all their belongings to a fire.
It's the home my mother grew up in, the home I would visit every summer as a kid. The home my grandfather designed and helped build from the ground up more than 60 years ago. The home that my uncles, aunts, and cousins would gather for major holiday celebrations. A lot of memories were made in that home.
At first, I was hesitant to share such a personal story because it's not just my story. It impacts my loved ones and those closest to me, but what I've witnessed over the past month has been incredible. Watching my family members, those close by and those states away, come together and share different resources to make sure my grandparents have everything they need.
My grandparents have given so much to us. They've helped send some of us to college, they've helped raise children, and they always keep us in prayer. Even though this loss, they continue to be a guiding light. Instead of focusing on what is no longer here, my 90-year-old grandfather and 86-year-old-grandmother are focusing on rebuilding and creating a new space where the family can continue to gather for years to come.
Loss is never an easy thing. It's painful and hectic, but it has a way of bringing people together and that is a beautiful thing. This holiday season makes it a priority to connect and bond with the ones you love because family is a gift that lasts forever.
That's My 2 Cents.