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By Marie Harrison 

For the Clemmons Courier

At the end of cross-country season and the very beginning of track season, a local high school hosts a two-mile race. Athletes come from all over the Southeast to compete, not with their teams, but individually, all for the chance to get a personal record in a distance event heading into the track season. And so last weekend, my family piled in the car and headed out to go and cheer on our boy.

Stationed all in one spot along one side of the track, we cheered loudly as my son took every turn and raced the straightaways. But as my son continued to move around the track, I heard his name being called out in several places. All of our immediate family were standing right there with me, and his fellow teammates were also in our section, so who was cheering for my son?

As we were leaving after the race, we ran into a fellow teammates parents and siblings who said they had been cheering for my son from the other side of the track, but that wasn’t all. We also ran into one of the volunteer coaches, a gentleman who works his 9-5 job each day, and then comes and volunteers his time to help train and teach these student athletes. This gentleman didn’t have to be at the meet. This wasn’t a team event or even required. Yet, there he was, on a Saturday when he could have been spending time with his family, but instead he was loudly cheering and encouraging my son.

As I thought about all the people who didn’t “have” to be there for my son, but were, I couldn’t help but be grateful. And as I look back on the past few months of applications for colleges, and nomination packets for senators, and individual awards and scholarships, and the immense need for an abundance of recommendation letters, I couldn’t help but be grateful for all of my son’s teachers.

These men and women work hard each day, and when they are done teaching, they head home to write letters in support of my son. They don’t “have” to do this, they don’t have to go above and beyond for a child who isn’t even their own, yet they do. I’ll never be able to say enough “thank you” for all the ways my son’s teachers and coaches have rallied around him, lifted him up and helped him to achieve his dreams. I’m just so grateful.

And as we enter into Thanksgiving, the season of gratitude, I am especially grateful this year to all the people who show love to my children when they don’t have to. As parents, it’s our job to love our kids, it’s our job to go above and beyond, but when we see others choosing to invest in someone we love so dearly, that deserves gratitude. For all the people who don’t “have” to, but instead “choose” to, thank you. For all the ones who have sacrificed time with their own families, thank you. Thank you for showing true selflessness and truly following the example of Jesus.

You see, Jesus didn’t “have” to die on the cross for us. Jesus had no sin that needed to be paid for. At His request, legions of angels could have appeared from the sky and carried Him away, yet that is not what happened. Jesus loved each one of us so much, that He was willing to go above and beyond. He was willing to sacrifice time with God and His own personal comfort, just to ensure that we had a way to be made whole again. Because of Jesus, those who put their trust in Him are not bound by the chains of sin or the heartache of this world. We are free to embrace our dreams, living in the comfort and assurance of eternal life someday. And while a simple “thank you” will never be enough for all that Jesus has done for us, He didn’t do it for the gratitude, He did it out of love. Just like those coaches and teachers who sacrificed for my son didn’t do anything out of a need for gratitude, they simply loved, even when they didn’t “have” to. And for me this Thanksgiving, that is what I want to celebrate with overwhelming gratitude, those who didn’t “have” to, but instead “chose” to, out of love, just like Jesus.