Mr. and Mrs. Tommy and Carolyn Glover are some special friends. They are in their early 80’s and have lived productive and sacrificial lives as dedicated employees, caring family leaders, and faithful church members. Tommy and Carolyn live in Dallas, North Carolina in the heart of the Piedmont with rolling hills, farmland, hardwoods, muscadine grapes, and pecan trees. He even boasts that some of the same rock and stone from famous Stone Mountain Georgia actually traverses the land northeastward into his own yard. I have seen the rock projecting upward in the ground and yard and I will accept his declaration as fact.
Tommy shared with me that he has planted some pecan trees in his yard for future family generations to enjoy. I love pecans and Mrs. Carolyn can make a pecan pie like nobody else. Brother Tommy’s pecan trees will take somewhere between 7-15 years to bear fruit. You get the point. He is planting so that others would one day reap.
I am enjoying this time in my life. My kids are grown and they are continuing to exercise their independence, thereby giving me more freedom to invest my time and energy in some new ways. Now, more than ever, I think about how my work, my skills, my investments are helping others to build their future and reap a good harvest. Mr. and Mrs. Tommy and Carolyn Glover continue to show me how to invest, plant, and nurture our kids, our next generation, grand kids, and the faith communities. Even in the midst of a divided nation, I will continue to hope and live and help push forward the vision of creating a society where life, liberty and prosperity for all can become the present reality and norm. We can do it—one person and one action at a time.
