10 years ago several friends and I ran a hotel. It was more like a halfway house. But the building was an hotel.

The place was old and falling down around us, but what a time we had.
Locals used to call the place "the local gun and knife club". Yes we had several unrulely people there, but we also had several people who were just down on their luck. They had lost there homes and jobs. We would find them living under bridges or in parks, and would bring them back to the hotel. Since they obviously couldn't afford to pay, we would put them to work in the hotel. Local churches and grocery stores provided us with food for them.

We had 16 kids living at the hotel. We would count them as they went unto the bus for school, and count them when they returned. My husband and friends found themselves becoming tutors and babysitters.

One Thanksgiving we threw a giant dinner for everyone. This was the moment I knew we had made a difference. When they turned up the lights in the restaurant/bar for grace, I looked around and saw bikers playing with children. Church people playing cards with felons. The man who said grace was a gang member. It was sort of surreal.

Now 10 years later one my best friends, the owner of the hotel, my roommate before I was married, the host's son, and my husband have all passed away. All were at that Thanksgiving.

Hard to believe they all are gone. Most of them would be my age ... 39.

So I am thankful for the moments we had. And the memories we made.
They will live with me forever!