Every Friday morning around 6:00 am a group of guys drag our butts out of bed , make our way to the local Panera Bread Company and partake in my Thanksgiving Letter C - Caffeine, Carbs and Camaraderie.
About 8 years ago a dear friend of mine,Colleen, suggested that a few young fathers she knew should start a bible study. Having heard about Tony Dungy's "All Pro Dad's" program she was certain it would be something we would enjoy. So, being a group of smart, resourceful and independent young fathers we did a wise thing. We took the suggestion of a smarter, more resourceful and markedly more capable woman who came up with the idea in the first place. We decided to meet for coffee. What is coffee without bagels or cinnamon roles? So Panera Bread became our home away from home.
There were six of us the first meeting and to be honest we had absolutely no idea of what to do. Thankfully, Colleen being her typical smart and resourceful self had taken the initiative to order our books for us. Seriously, left to our own devices we were lucky to arrive completely clothed. But there we were and we set off on a weekly ritual that is still going 8 years later.
We have described ourselves in a number of ways. Bible Study, Book Club, Support Group, Breakfast Club and Dad's group have all been used and each sort of works. We definitely eat breakfast and we are all Dads but we don't rely on books to carry the conversation anymore. While we have spent hours discussing God and Faith over the years, calling ourselves a "Bible Study" would strain credulity. Support Group is definitely accurate but sounds way too clinical for such a motley crew. What we are is a group of fathers with kids ranging from 3 years to just starting college. We are school teachers, salesmen, insurance adjusters, executives, principals and at least 3 self-proclaimed sages. We've shared successes, failures, illnesses, deaths, struggles and joys. And we have laughed. My how we have laughed. We are friends and neighbors and in our own little way we are family.
So here we are some 8 years later and what we have are a couple of dozen books, gallons of coffee, pounds of pastries, our favorite waitress Jamie, 5 Charity Auctions, dozens of birthdays, concerts, dinners, thousands of prayers and sincerely more laughs than you could possibly imagine. What started as a few complete strangers meeting for breakfast turned into a small band of honest to goodness friends who love each other and usually can't wait for Friday morning's arrival. It helps keep us sane or at least as sane as possible. It is, without a doubt, one of the favorite parts of my week and I will be saddened if I ever lose it.
So I am thankful for my Cs. My caffeine, my Carbs and Most Definitely my Comrades on Friday morning. And while I am at it don't let me forget Colleen who got this ball rolling in the first place.
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