By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
In 2011, when my husband Steve and I bought Athens Now from Wayne and Deborah Huff, I was tossed into the pool of publishing without a foam noodle or inflatable wings, and the largely self-taught swimming lessons and some taking on of water began. However, the one who kept me afloat from the very first edition was Jonathan Hamilton, our uber-patient production design guy. Now, over 300 editions later, I have the great honor to tell you a beautiful back story that I think will brighten your Mother’s Day, even if that day is a tough one for you.
Over the years, a grand team of AN writers has coalesced and solidified, and when I say I love them, I mean it. I brag on them all the time on my radio show on WKAC, have them on the show often to showcase their works or events, and every two weeks thank them for their work when we put out another edition.
One of our writers is Carissa Lovvorn, who has the column known as “Carissa’s Corner.” Carissa is an extraordinarily talented young woman, a mom, a wife, and an award-winning children’s author. On Tuesday she called me up in tears, and told me the following story.
Her grandmother was getting close to passing and Carissa had written an article about her, which you can read on page___. Carissa and her sister were involved in caring for her, and Carissa very much wanted her grandmother to see as well as hear what had been written about her for what is most likely going to be her last Mother’s Day. The only problem was that paper had not begun to have been “put to bed” and sent on to the printers. After explaining the situation, Carissa asked so tentatively, “Is there any way we can get my article done early?” I promised her I would check with Yvonne Dempsey, our copy editor, as well as Jonathan. Both people are busy with jobs, businesses, volunteer work, family, and hectic schedules. But I knew they would move heaven and earth to grant Carissa her request if at all humanly possible. In Jonathan’s case, that was going to be a challenge. You see, he had just been in the ER with kidney stones, and had passed two in the night. To say the guy was uncomfortable was an understatement. After he told me of his predicament, I said, “Look, I need you to tell me the absolute truth; if you can’t do this, I completely understand, and I know Carissa will, too.” A couple of seconds passed, and then I heard that unfailingly kind voice quietly say, “I can do that.”
I called Carissa back, gave her the good news and the tears began on both ends. She was grateful for our crew making it happen, and I was grateful for the chance to have a small part in bringing joy as a wonderful, godly grandmother was getting closer to seeing her Savior face to face. Jonathan and Yvonne got ‘er dun in a ridiculously short amount of time, and all I did was hit “send.”
Carissa opened the attachment on her computer, quietly exclaimed that it was perfect, and I said, “Get going, your grandma is waiting.” The next day she told me all about it via text, which we captured as a screenshot to illustrate what happened. And none of this could have happened if I did not have the technology and the totally amazing people who make up Athens Now work so hard and well to bring you “Information and Inspiration” the first and third Friday of every month.
And now you know one of the zillion ways in which I am blessed right out of my boots. It’s my crew, and YOU. Happy Mother’s Day!!
