Randy Smith
It seems the older I get, the more thankful I am for the things I have. I'm not a rich man by any means, but I have always been able to provide my family with everything they need. That's why every Thanksgiving I make a list of everything I'm thankful for.
I'm thankful that my family introduced me to Jesus Christ when I was a little boy. Jesus and I have been close personal friends for decades.
I'm thankful for my wife Shelia. We've been married for almost 50 years and while it hasn't been a perfect union, it's been very, very good and a whole lot of fun.
I'm thankful for the fact that my father taught me to be a Tennessee fan when I was a boy. He also taught me about baseball....the greatest game in the world.
While I am a Tennessee fan, I'm also thankful for my alma mater Middle Tennessee State University. They're celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of Murphy Center in December and since my wife and I were both there when it opened, we're invited.
I'm thankful for friends I've made, starting grammar school, then high school and then college. Some of them are gone now but I still cherish each and every one.
I'm thankful for the friends I've made in the professional arena. They have no idea how much they mean to me.
I'm thankful for my two children and five grand children. I knew grand babies were special but I had no idea how special they would become. Two boys and three girls. They all make me so happy
I'm also thankful for my home for the past forty-seven years. Twenty-five in Whitwell and 22 in Hixson. I fell in love with the Tennessee Valley and never looked back.
I'm thankful for my health. It's not at all perfect and I have a few problems with walking but I'm very happy with the way things are going.
I'm thankful for my family's love of sports and country music.
I'm thankful for the opportunity to continue doing play-by-play on radio. And I'm especially thankful for WFLI and Boyd Buchanan for making it happen.
I'm thankful for my son-in-law Chris and my daughter-in-law Alison. They've been great for our two children and I couldn't ask for better mates for my kids.
I'm thankful for my neighbors because when we have a crisis, they're always there to help.
I'm thankful for my doctors. They all do a wonderful job taking care of me.
I'm thankful that I was able to get past the racism in my family when I was young. I still love them all greatly because that racism was the way they were raised and unable to break free from it. If that makes me "woke" then so be it.
Finally, I'm thankful for the chattanoogan.com for allowing me to write for them for the past eleven years.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
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Randy Smith can be reached at rsmithsports@epbfi.com