Demetria Kalodimos | A Heartfelt Thanks
They’re in a basket under my desk. And stuffed into one of those photo boxes at home. One is taped on the wall in the kitchen; some are tucked into books and drawers; they’re all over the house. Dozens of cards and letters from my friends and neighbors in Nashville. More mail than I could ever imagine, and certainly more than I could ever respond to.
When I was off the air for several weeks last October, Dan Miller
filled you in. In his collection of online essays, Dan Miller’s Notebook,
he described (in beautiful detail) my wondrous backyard wedding. He explained that while I had gotten married, I wasn’t on a honeymoon. I had returned home to Chicago, where my precious dad was to spend the last days of his life, surrounded by his kids and grandkids, our mom, and all the love we could possibly give.
Dan’s column brought tears to my eyes and was the greatest wedding gift I could ever ask for. And I told him so.
Equally moved by his words, hundreds of viewers wrote emails and sent cards…they shared poems and prayers. They poured their hearts out with well wishes that were understanding and uplifting.
Those letters sustained me through the most difficult time I had ever spent in my life. So did Dan. He was on the receiving end of countless telephone calls from hospitals and bad news, it seemed, always very bad news.
Six months after Dad died, I had begun to pack the letters away. Making a list of the senders and contemplating thank-yous was just too daunting. I didn’t even try. But I saved every letter and even every envelope. For some reason, the date stamps were meaningful, and the handwriting as well.
Then a phone call. A middle-of-the-night phone call. Death had taken another of the most important people in my life. My trusted partner and big brother, Dan.
Once again, your letters came in stacks and bundles to the newsroom. In my mailbox at home. Over the computer and by telephone, just the right words at just the right moments.
Thank you, Nashville, for sharing your enormous heart.
How do I thank each and every kind soul who paused to share my pain? How do I repay the kindness of well-chosen words and meaningful scripture? on pretty stationery, in my very best handwriting.
