***** NOTE FROM Phil "Ernest T." Lee ***** Dear Friends: As six months have now passed after my father's death, I still remember all of the kind things that you have done for me in letting me know that you care about me and my family. Your efforts, then and now, confirmed to me what I already know...that the people who like "The Andy Griffith Show" are the most caring, humble, down-to-earth, and sincere folks on the face of this planet. Yes, we all like to laugh about a television show that is soon to be 50 years old, trade bits and pieces of "conversational dialogue" when we talk with each other, dress up like characters from this same TV show, and celebrate through TV Land or DVD's "episodes of time" where everything is right with the world. And you know what, that's OK. We also rally around those in need. As a body of people joined together by one singular "grouping," the TAGS family stood head and shoulders above every other group in my life in sharing my burden. Phone calls, cards, notes, flowers, e-mails, prayers...I cannot begin to tell you how numerous they were, how consistent they were, and how sincere they were. You truly shared my hurt and sadness and made such a difficult time easier to bear. For this I am humbly grateful. Many of my tears were shed in the last three years of Daddy's life, as his body was here, but he wasn't. I can sit here and cry now in remembering the dutiful way my mother served as his caregiver to the point of him viewing her as "his mother." She never once complained and totally exemplified wedding vows of "serving in sickness and health." I still am concerned about her as I had hoped once some time had passed since Daddy's death, she would "perk back up" but she still seems troubled at times. She's not one to really talk about "what she's feeling" but I must compliment Audrey as doing all that a daughter-in-law could do in reaching out to her. Audrey continually checks on her, makes certain she is aware of school activities that our daughters are involved in, invites her and one of my favorite aunts to lunch, uses her gift of "planning" to make certain that my mother has access to resources that are needed (e.g. - flower arrangement for the cemetery that would withstand the weather and grounds maintenance), accompanies her on visits to the doctor's office, and simply serves in a way that shows our children how we should care for each other. She cares for my mother the same way that all of you have cared for me. And the good news...both my mom and previously mentioned aunt are going on the cruise in October! My mother is 80 and this will be her first plane flight! So, to each of you, thank you so very much for sharing my burden. My load has been lifted because of you. The sincerity of your actions is so very evident and has meant so much to me. You will never know how much I have appreciated you over the years and how much I do now. Don't change...we need the spirit of The Andy Griffith Show now more than ever. You beat everything, you know that? 10-4, over and out...your Mayberry friend, Phil Lee
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