Say What You Need To Say

Stolen from John Mayer, I am confronted again with the meaning of this song.
Usually saying what you need to say starts with, "thank you."
One of those close friends you have growing up is dealing with her incredible mom struggling with cancer. This family was so kind and accepting, taking me to the lake with them and inviting me to be a part of their family time. They are a treasured gift from my childhood.
Every time I buy an extra toothbrush for my daughter's friends to feel welcome to stay or I pick up "kid" food, I know it is because Carol showed me this example. I loved the way her kids said, "mom." And I remember thinking that when I got older I wanted my children to say it as endearing.
Thank you.
My step dad is also struggling with cancer and trying to make it to his birthday in July, the big sixty. He never had children biologically, so me and my sister began his parenting career.
My thank you for him begins with a phone call I got when my daughter was just six or seven months old. My real dad was facing throat cancer and needed to get a feeding tube to undergo the treatments. He had never really had any kind of surgery so he was nervous just to enter a hospital. I called my mom and Tom and told them what was going on and how scared and helpless I felt. Tom immediately decided he was going to drive Eden, my daughter, and I all the way to Orlando, Florida (twenty-four hour drive) to be there for my dad's surgery. He did.
Ironically enough, Tom merged my two families and gave me one of the best memories of seeing both my families around a dinner table laughing and enjoying each other. What a gift.
Saying what you need to say, usually begins with thank you.