By Brenda Cannon Henley
Many of you know I am originally from Georgia, where I was born and reared until I relocated to Tennessee in my profession. I arrived in Texas nearly a decade and a half ago and it quickly stole my heart and soul. I love Texas! I love everything about it and especially the faithful people I have met. I have loved, lived, and sorrowed in this state, but I
have never once changed my mind about how much I treasure living here. I try to explain it to others, but unless you experience it, you just don’t get it. There really is something different about being a true Texan at heart whether it is born in you or comes at a later place in your life.
Other states and other countries have some really great things and I enjoy exploring them, too. A visit to Savannah, Georgia, strolling along the Riverwalk, playing on the beaches, going out into the marsh, eating good fresh seafood, taking a ghost tour, visiting the scenes of successful films, or admiring the architecture and design of the city itself into perfect squares with courtyards and parks is something everyone should do once in a lifetime and more often if possible. A visit to this charming city would not be complete in my view without a stop to visit “the waving lady” or “the waving girl” as some refer to the historical figure. Perhaps she was a girl when she started out on her life mission and a woman of age and wisdom before she died. I was intrigued by the bronze statute and the story of how it came to be so prominent displayed in this wonderful old port city.
Florence Martus, Waving Girl of Savannah, 1938
A few years later Florence was sent to live with her brother in a small cottage on the riverbank. He was a light keeper. Frances continued her tradition often using a tablecloth or towel by day and a lantern by night. The seamen developed a habit of returning her wave with three blasts of the ship’s whistle and came to depend on her faithfulness.
For more than 44 years young Florence sent out each ship with her blessing and welcomed them home at night. She never missed a day it is said. The young girl turned into a white-haired older lady. Frances died in 1942, but her tradition and faithfulness is captured in the bronze work of “the Waving Lady of Savannah.”
After reading Florence’s story, I was impressed about the importance of faithfulness no matter what our jobs are. At this time in my life, I am so grateful for faithful friends, many old, some new, and some that I have not met as of yet. During the time of my sweet husband’s illness, death, and burial, my home was flooded with people, calls, messages, and offers of help. But, like everything else, things changed and folks went back to work, kids went to school, most of the calls stopped coming, and few seemed to care what happened to me because it had not happened to them.
Lives went on and I know that is normal, but I thank God for the faithful friends who realized my darkest days were just beginning. The hustle and bustle of all of the activity had stopped and for the past six months before Ted died, everything I did revolved around him. Now, it seemed I had lost parts of my own life as well. I have read enough to know that this is a part of the caregiver’s syndrome and that I will be much better some day. But, that day has not come and I needed my friends. Thank God I had some who knew. I know better than to name names and hurt feelings, but my heart knows and is grateful.
If we cannot be anything else we can be faithful.
(published 11/18/2014)
Brenda Cannon Henley can be reached at (409) 781-8788, at
[email protected], or by using the contact form below.
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