Now that Thanksgiving 2017 is in the books, we actually have some time to sit back and think about all of the things that we are thankful for. For me, personally, it is about the people that I choose to have in my life.
It seems that most people would have to agree with that sentiment. It's not about what you have, but rather who you have to share it with. One grandmother from Mesa, Arizona is the living embodiment of everything that is great in the world.
Leading up to Thanksgiving in 2016, Wanda Dench sent a text message to her grandson. What she wasn't aware of is that her grandson had changed his phone number, so in essence she had just invited a complete stranger to come feast at her house.
That stranger was 17-year-old Jamal Hinton from Chandler, Arizona. When he received the strange text from the number he didn't know, he was a little confused. He asked for a picture of the woman claiming to be his grandma, and when they discovered the mix-up, he still asked if "he could get a plate?"
Dench, being the caring woman that she is, obviously invited the total stranger to come and enjoy dinner, and the teenager accepted, becoming a dinner guest at her family's table.
What was once just a random situation has now turned into a beautiful connection.
This wasn't just a one-off situation. Dench extended the invitation to Hinton again this year, and he of course accepted. This time he even brought his girlfriend along for the experience.
Dench couldn't be happier with the how the situation worked out, "He always has an open invite to our house for Thanksgiving," Dench told local station KPNX. "I do believe there are no accidents in life."
Hinton echos that sentiment as well, "The world is becoming a better place than it used to be," Hinton said. "I'm loving it. I love that you don't have to know someone or know their background to be nice to them."
We all hope that this relationship continues to grow as the years continue to pass. It truly shows that it isn't about what you have, but rather who you have around you. Check out this video about how this accidental relationship got going.
Share this if you believe that this is the true meaning of Thanksgiving.