(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Augusta Press.)
This past week, Augusta lost, in my eyes, our most humble servant and community leader in State Rep. Henry “Wayne” Howard.
As expected, most of us have taken a moment to grieve this tremendous loss. We should feel a level of gratitude to live in an era where we have the ability to know the likes of such a great person.
For nearly 50 years, Rep. Howard dedicated his life to actions that truly make not just Augusta better but that also make our state and world better.
As a family man, local businessman and legislator, Wayne Howard was what everyone in this community should strive to be in their daily life. He didn’t just talk the talk. He took his deep devoted Christian values and used them to personify change that this world needs.
Whether he was speaking out on the inequalities he saw, working to provide support to Georgians with disabilities, or legislation that he introduced to provide assistance at the gas pumps, Rep. Howard was a man who put his faith into actions to provide tangible, everlasting change.
Following in the footsteps of his father, he leaves a legacy of service that is unmatched. I can hear him saying, “It’s up to all of us to be the change we want to see.”
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What a light to this community that will only dim because we will miss him. The impact that he has made in this community will continue to brighten the path for what is ahead.
I would like to thank the entire Howard family for allowing us the time to share such a great person as he. Your sacrifice in his home-going service will forever be in our hearts. Our thoughts are with the entire family and all who like myself have been inspired by the great example in Rep. Howard.
The path forward is still unclear by all accounts, and Rep. Howard’s name will still appear on the ballot. I am told that TAP is working on a story to clear up questions about what’s next as we all deal with the grief we bear in the loss of Rep. Henry “Wayne” Howard.
I will end my column this week on that note and add a message I heard that may lift our spirits in times such as these.
In Birmingham, there is a store that sells scratched and dented merchandise. The stuff at this store is there because somewhere between the time the stuff left the warehouse and before it reached its destination, it received a scratch or a dent of some sort. Since the items have scratches or dents, most people don’t want them, but the owner of the scratch and dent store takes the merchandise. The reason he takes it is because he understands that, although the merchandise may have a few scratches or dents, it can still serve the purpose for which it was created. A stove with a slight dent in the side will still cook food, and a recliner with a scratch in it will still recline. Like the store owner, God recognizes that although we’ve been scratched and dented, we can still serve our purpose.
Have a great week and God Bless.
Michael Meyers is a columnist for The Augusta Press. Reach him at Michael.meyers@theaugustapress.com
