R.E. Garrison - Word on the Street

Christmas for the Kids

marketing@regarrison.com (Taylor Foshee) — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 14:35:04 GMT

The R.E. Garrison Autism Awareness truck in the loading dock at the Cullman County Department of Human Resources for volunteers to unloaded the gifts.

In Alabama, there are over 5,700 kids in the foster care system. On December 13, 2023, a team of baseball players, several

volunteers from the Cullman County Department of Human Resources, Sidney Grimmett, and the R.E. Garrison Autism Awareness truck brought over 200 of those kids Christmas gifts back to Cullman. These gifts were the product of "Christmas for the Kids" toy drive hosted by the Kids to Love Foundation in Huntsville, Alabama.

Kids to Love was founded in 2004 by Founder and CEO Lee Marshall. Lee Marshall was born into foster care and adopted out of the system at the age of 2. After spending her time in the limelight with 3 Emmy nominations as a journalist and 20 years behind a desk as news anchor, Lee decided to step behind the scenes. After retiring in 2015, Lee set out to launch the Kids to Love center.

Since its founding, Kids to Love has been able to foster a love for kids in the system and provide education opportunities for those that otherwise would not have the chance.

The Kids to Love "Christmas for the Kids" toy drive was able to provide Christmas gifts for over 2,100 kids spanning across northern Alabama and even counties up into the state of Tennessee. When R.E. Garrison was contacted about transporting the toys using our Autism Awareness truck, there was never a second thought. As the truck and trailer pulled up to the Redstone Arsenal loading location, the trailer began to fill with more than just toys- it began to fill with love, joy, hope, and faith. You see, these are more than just toys to the children that will receive them; they are the opportunity for normalcy in a child's life that might be lacking just that.

So, as the big, blue, wrapped truck arrived at the Cullman County Department of Human Resources, and toys were taken from the trailer to be organized and dispersed, a sense of love began to fill the air. Love for the season, love for the reason volunteers had gathered to be there, and most of all, love for the kids.

R.E. Garrison hopes to continue to be a part of this tradition for many years to come. The holiday season continues to be a special time of the year at Garrison, and we are dedicated to being the unwavering support our community and communities surrounding us need.

R.E. Garrison's Newest Wrapped Truck

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 22:09:22 GMT

R.E. Garrison Unveils Newest Specialty Truck

R.E. Garrison Trucking Inc., is pleased to announce that the theme of their newest wrapped truck is Breast Cancer Awareness.

R.E. Garrison partnered with Lonestar Graphics in Texarkana, TX to once again put a truck on the road dedicated to bringing awareness to the most common cancer of women in the United States.

If you have followed R.E. Garrison closely throughout the years you may have a bit of déjà vu. Back in 2015, team drivers, Jim and Kitty Farmer, drove a pink Freightliner with a pink ribbon and the words “We Support Cancer Awareness” emboldened on the side until their retirement in 2020.

The newest pink and white truck will be operated by driver Martha Beshears. Tracy Rushing, Executive Director of Safety, said that Martha was chosen because of her extraordinary driving record as well as her tenure with the company. “Out of our female drivers, at Garrison, we looked for someone who had exceptional safety scores and had been here the longest. Martha topped all the lists of what we wanted.” said Tracy.

Martha was present for the truck unveiling and had not been shown the new design before the presentation. She said that she was excited and speechless when told that she was the chosen driver for the truck. When asked why this cause was important to her Martha said, “Everyone around me has been touched by breast cancer, in some way. I have lost people close to me and had family members overcome this disease.”

This marks the sixth specialty wrapped truck currently on the road for R.E. Garrison. The truck does not have any scheduled local appearances, at present, but can be requested.

R.E. Garrison is an employee-owned trucking company specializing in refrigerated transportation, established in 1959, with over 1,000 employees, and headquartered in Cullman, Alabama. They also have office locations in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Indiana, and Tennessee.

R.E. Garrison Acquires Boaty's Transport Inc.

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:06:37 GMT

Cullman, AL: R.E. Garrison Trucking announces they have successfully purchased trucking company, Boaty’s Transport Inc., located in Jackson, Georgia.

Cullman, AL: R.E. Garrison Trucking announced today it successfully completed the acquisition of certain assets of Boaty’s Transport Inc., located in Jackson, Georgia.

R.E. Garrison is proud to welcome Boaty’s to the Garrison family. Boaty’s Transport Inc. was founded in 1991 by Michael Boatwright with the goal of providing Fast, Fresh, and Friendly transport of produce throughout the southeastern U.S.

Boaty’s team, which includes over fifty tractors and eighty refrigerated trailers, as well as a pristine reputation within the produce industry, embraces this new challenge and looks forward to continued service to its drivers, employees, and shippers.

R.E. Garrison Trucking President and co-owner, Wyles Griffith said “Boaty’s stood out to our Board of Directors because of their longstanding position within the produce industry and we are incredibly enthusiastic about Boaty’s joining the team.”

Donovon Lovell, Vice President and co-owner said, “Growing our business alongside Boaty’s will create a great and lasting partnership that we can both be proud of.”

When former Boaty’s owner and founder, Michael Boatwright, was asked the reason he chose R.E. Garrison as a partner and the future caretaker of the company’s legacy, he said, “One of the things that excites me the most about this transition to Garrison is the fact that we will still maintain our small company feel while adding many additional benefits for our employees and clients.”

Within the upcoming months, Michael Boatwright will retire while his son, Shaun, will lead Boaty’s daily business from its headquarters in Jackson, Georgia.

Boaty’s will continue to operate using its respective name and image under the R.E. Garrison family umbrella.

Top 5 Flashiest Fleets

marketing@regarrison.com (Taylor Foshee) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 18:48:09 GMT

R.E. Garrison Trucking places fifth out of over 100 entries for Five Flashiest Fleets

This week, Commercial Carrier Journal announced the winners of their annual Five Flashiest Fleets with R.E. Garrison placing fifth out of over 100 entries.

“R.E. Garrison’s multiple themes show a clear devotion to lending space on their rigs to causes needing a boost in awareness,” said Todd Dills, judge and editor at Overdrive.

One of the highlights of the R.E. Garrison fleet is their Autism Awareness truck and trailer that was created in partnership with the Autism Society of Alabama. The blue puzzle wrapped truck was designed by Lonestar Truck Group in March of 2020 with the goal of attending the Autism Walks in April. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that walk was cancelled.

“They are planning on having their first walk since the pandemic in April of 2023 of which we will be present,” said Magan Bartlett, R.E. Garrison’s Marketing & Communications Specialist.

R.E. Garrison Trucking has a total of five wrapped trucks that also bring awareness to other topics such as mental health and veteran affairs. Coming in 2023, Garrison plans to reveal more rigs devoted to additional causes.

Click here to view the full list of winner.

R.E. Garrison is an employee-owned trucking company specializing in refrigerated trailers, established in 1959, with over 1,000 employees, and headquartered in Cullman, Alabama. They also have office locations in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Indiana, and Tennessee.

Our Newest Truck

Wed, 11 May 2022 21:31:30 GMT

R.E. Garrison Unveils Newest Specialty Truck

R.E. Garrison Trucking, is excited to unveil their newest specialty branded truck showcasing their five Core Values. This truck is fifth in a line of wrapped trucks designed in previous years through a collaborative effort with Lonestar Graphics in Texarkana, TX.

REG’s Core Values were first established as a part of their rebranding project completed last year in 2021. The Core Values are Legacy, Lifelong Learning, A ‘Yes We Can’ Attitude, Own It – Fix It – Move On, and Community. Shawn Nelson, Executive Director of Recruitment, who spearheaded the idea of this newest truck said, "R.E. Garrison uses our Core Values as part of our everyday business plan. Every hire, every contract, and everything we do is related to whether or not it fits into RE Garrison's Core Values. What better way to express that to the world than by wrapping a truck and using it as a billboard to run all over the country spreading the word of who we are, and what we do."

The newest truck can be seen in person Saturday, May 14th at the Touch a Truck event held by Cullman Electric Cooperative at Sportsman Lake Park. In addition to the in-person event, the truck can also be seen on REG’s social media.

To best display REG’s Core Values to a wide area, the truck will be operated by an over the road team of two individuals.

Driving Through David and Lisa's Time At R.E. Garrison

marketing@regarrison.com (Taylor Foshee) — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 18:14:43 GMT

After nearly 26 years from first starting at R.E. Garrison David and Lisa Olsen have put long haul truck driving in their rear view.

David started driving in the 1970s on a route to bring fruit to the farmers market in Dallas, Texas. But in 1996, the same year that Wyles Griffith and Donovon Lovell acquired the company, David began his quarter century long career at R.E. Garrison.

Lisa met David when she was in high school, but they didn’t start dating until years later. This month, David and Lisa have been married for 37 years. Their large family boasts 6 children and 18 grandchildren. They all live in the same state but are scattered throughout Texas.

After high school, David worked in the air conditioning business, but found that advancement was slow and realized that trucking may be his calling, as it was for his father.

In the beginning of their time together, David and Lisa homeschooled their children and would carry them along on the road. As the children got older, they realized they needed more room to grow, and Lisa stayed home while David continued on the road. Lisa earned her nursing degree during that time, but after all of their children graduated, she got her CDL, and they officially became a team.

Lisa said some of the advantages of being a team is that they get more miles and get to be home more. She attributed some of their happiness with Garrison to their past driver managers, including their current manager, Jeremy Peek. She said, “With the route me are on, we have been able to go back and forth and be home more.”

There was a short period of time where David and Lisa left Garrison and worked for another company for a few years. They soon changed their minds and came back after about a year. David attributed the comeback to the honesty he has experience here and said his decision to leave was the biggest mistake of his life. He said, “Trucking companies have a tendency to tell you anything. Garrison has never been one…It has always been an open-door policy.”

Some of the couples’ best memories come from the time they spent together on the road. While Lisa’s favorite place to visit is Florida, their trips out to the Pacific Northwest are some of the moments she holds most dear because of the apple picking opportunities and all the unique people they would meet. Lisa said, “I had never been out of Texas until I married David. Now I’ve been to almost every state.”

David and Lisa had not announced their retirement at the start of their interview. By the second day, David felt comfortable sharing their future plans. They credit God for their success, and both said that they have always put Him first in everything they do. Each of them is looking forward to the next chapter in their lives. Lisa listed a multitude of different ways they plan to spend their time. She said, “We love fishing. Coming home and relaxing. Taking a cruise. Getting out and doing things together. We like to get out in our pickup and ride around. We love spending time with kids and grandkids.”

In the decades that David and Lisa have been involved with trucking they have seen a lot of changes to the industry, but one of the constants is the happiness they have felt with Garrison. In the past few years, the country has started to see the importance of the trucking industry when it comes to all the goods and services it provides. Lisa said that although the public doesn’t have a great understanding of trucking, it is a service in the way that nursing is a service. Lisa said, “All in all, I couldn’t see David and I doing anything else. We thank God every day for the job have we had.”

How Pam Graham & her son, Carson, Flourished in Cullman

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 19:37:51 GMT

Someone once said, “Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.”

You can spend your whole life planning for your future, but all that may pass you by if you do not stop every once in a while, to look around. Pam Graham knows firsthand just how precious every small moment can be. She has learned from her son, Carson, who is affected by autism, how to slow down and appreciate the beautiful scenes in life.

Pam grew up in West Virginia with her fraternal twin, Alisha. She spent her summers visiting with her grandparents at Smith Lake and graduated with a degree in Applied Science Drafting & Technology from Wallace State Community College. When she moved to Cullman in 2004, she worked at what is now Cross Creek Golf Course where she met her husband, Shane.

In 2014, Pam initially came to R.E. Garrison through the billing department. She eventually left the next year to spend more time with Carson. But came back in 2020 as a customer service representative. When asked what brought her back, she cited the environment. She said, “It's like a family. Everyone is so close set.”

Pam also says that one of her favorite things about R.E. Garrison is the non-profit established 2018, Garrison Gives Hope. She said, “I believe in what they do. I really have a passion for who they are, and I love this place.”

Garrison Gives Hope is not Pam’s only foundation she is passionate about. She is also the board president at Flourish of Cullman, Inc. According to their website, Flourish was opened in 2016 with the purpose of assisting people with disabilities to live and work independently with the help of a support network.

The owner of Flourish, Melissa Dew, first reached out to Pam after Carson was diagnosed with autism in 2010 at 13 months old. Back then, Melissa was the therapy coordinator at a local rehabilitation and therapy center. Melissa said, “Pamela and her husband always asked questions and got feedback from lots of individuals to see what was best for him.”

Pam said that her son had reached all his milestones at an extremely fast rate and was forming full sentences by his first birthday. About a month later it all suddenly came to a halt. Carson was no longer communicating with his parents, and it was like a curtain had been drawn.

After his diagnosis, Pam was just relieved to have answers. She said that she did not spend a lot of time on the “why” and was just focused on figuring out how to help. She said, “As a parent, you just want what’s best for him.”

The hardest part of Carson’s diagnoses ultimately has nothing to do with Carson. Pam said that the most difficult obstacle is other people’s lack of understanding. She emphasized how important it is to be patient with strangers and their children in places like the grocery store. “If people could meet and understand him, they would enjoy life more.”

Pam said that one time she noticed Carson sitting in the window and instead of dismissing it or moving on to a different task she instead sat down next to him and asked him what he was looking at. He showed her the light shining through the glass causing a rainbow prism. She said “Everything we miss, he sees. You love life when you are with him.”

“Leafing” Through Lauren’s Journey at R.E. Garrison

marketing@regarrison.com (Taylor Foshee) — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 14:14:21 GMT

“Leafing” Through Lauren’s Journey at R.E. Garrison

As you walk into the R.E. Garrison office in the downtown area of Cullman, the first thing you notice is the fragrant smell of orange rolls from the bakery on the first floor. You open the REG branded door and walk up the stairs and the scent shifts from orange rolls to fruity pebbles cereal. The aroma is coming from the office of the first person you will most likely see, which is REG’s Director of Customer Service, Lauren Meneau.

Lauren was born into a military family in Wyoming and soon relocated to Alabama before the age of two where she graduated from Brewer High School. After graduation she moved to Cullman and first started out in trucking as a broker for a small local logistics company.

In 2016, Lauren landed at R.E. Garrison as a Customer Service Assistant. She held that position for two years before moving to a Customer Service Representative. She said that no matter what job she has had she has always aspired to move up within the business. “I like staying busy and constantly bettering myself.”

Spend some time at the downtown location and no matter where you are sitting you will see Lauren multiple times throughout the day. She is instantly noticeable for lending a helping hand without concern for the department you are working in. That is partly due to the nature of her role, but mostly because it is in line with her character. Lauren said, “Other people may not know that we (customer service) are constantly reaching out to every side of the business.”

If she is not in her office, she is helping a team member work around an obstacle, or petting one of the many dogs that visit the building. Lauren is a self-described animal lover. At one point she had fifteen snakes and would breed and sell the reptiles. She has since “scaled back” and now only has two dogs, a cat, and a lizard. In addition to her animal obsession, she also has a passion for plants she picked up from her grandmother. She has roughly ten potted plants as well as a growing terrarium in her office, plus forty to fifty plants at home.

In 2021 alone, over one hundred people for our offices were hired at Garrison. Which makes Lauren’s start date of 2016 feel as though she is a tenured member of the team. She can give you a running list of what makes Garrison special to her. Whether it be the atmosphere, the customers, to the team members, or the upper management. She said, “The bosses make the difference here, they are all so forgiving and understanding.”

It is no secret that the trucking business is historically a male dominated field. But, year after year the female representation is increasing, and Garrison is proud to be a part of that growth. In fact, Lauren said that she often feels she has an advantage due to her patient and organized natural disposition. Her aspirational and hard-working personality are the driving forces behind her promotion to Director of Customer Service earlier this year. Lauren said “This is the highest position I’ve ever had in any of my jobs. It’s scary but it’s been very empowering.”

Driving "Miss Maegan"

marketing@regarrison.com (Taylor Foshee) — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 18:02:01 GMT

For Meagan Tucker, trucking is in her blood.

For Meagan Tucker, trucking is in her blood. Her grandfather, Jerry Lovell, or as Meagan calls him, “Papaw, is a part of the trio that acquired R.E. Garrison from Roy Garrison himself in the nineties.

Before Jerry started Heart of Dixie in 1991, he had a brown truck that he named “Miss Maegan”. Jerry, his wife, Nell, and Maegan rode across the country countless times in that brown truck. One of Maegan’s most vivid memories from traveling with her “Papaw” is when they travelled to San Francisco, and she had cheesecake for the first time at Bubba Gump Shrimp in San Francisco.

Throughout college at the University of Alabama, Maegan worked every summer and Christmas break in the family business at Garrison. In 2010, she graduated with a degree in business management and a minor in marketing. Initially, she sought out a different career path in styling at a luxury clothing company. But it did not take long for Maegan to “come back home.”

She said “I always thought I would end up here. I just didn’t know what it looked like.”

In 2011, when she officially started at R.E. Garrison, the job was not handed to her, and she did not begin at the top. Maegan’s first role was as a customer service representative. She said that she remembers when she had her first account all to her herself and the pride that came as she watched it grow month after month.

Sometime after that, she organically transitioned into a manager. She said that things were a bit different not too long ago, and movement was not always formally announced within the company. One thing that stands out to her is the company extension list could fit on an index card. R.E. Garrison has grown in such great strides that the extension lists are no longer and would fill pages if distributed.

After she was promoted to Director of Customer Service, Maegan then found her current space last year, a Human Resources Business Partner covering Talent Management. Now, Maegan is on several different task forces and is leading the charge when it comes to the recent changes and improvements made around our company policies.

With all her success, it is not hard to find accomplishments Maegan can be proud of. But what brings her the most joy in her career is when someone she has hired is given a compliment. She said, “I love giving people the opportunity to excel.”

When asked how watching her grandfather grow the company influenced her, she said that it truly made her believe in the American Dream. She said when you work hard and dedicate yourself to something “you have a really good shot at making your dream come true.”

Nathan Wright’s “Freaky Fast” Rise at Garrison Logistics

marketing@regarrison.com (Taylor Foshee) — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 17:45:42 GMT

Nathan Wright is the Logistics Manager in Indianapolis and is just as eager to grow R.E. Garrison’s representation in the area as he was to deliver sandwiches as fast as possible in Chattanooga.

Throughout college, Wright was driving sandwiches across the city of Chattanooga for Jimmy John’s. Fast forward to 2022 and he is managing a team of people in Indianapolis at one of R.E. Garrison’s logistics offices.

After graduating from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2013, Nathan decided it was time to get a “real job”. When Nathan walked into his interview at the brand-new Chattanooga office, he noticed how empty it was and remarked that there were approximately three people.

It was only onwards and upwards after that interview. Nathan said he immediately saw the opportunity that was being provided to him and wanted to take advantage of it. He said, “It has been a wild few years.”

Quickly, he was promoted to pod team leader and then team leader. The Chattanooga office now has nearly 50 employees and is looking to hire at least 20 more this year.

In 2019, another opportunity presented itself with the new office in Indianapolis. Nathan said, “The reason I committed to moving 400 miles north is the fact that we all care for each other.”

That partnered with the fact that he had a family a few miles down the road in Lafayette was a no-brainer for Nathan.

Despite 2020 coinciding with COVID and opening the Indianapolis office, Nathan was still able to grow to nineteen brokers by the end of 2021 and has set a goal of thirty before the end of this year.

Nathan is most excited about the growth coming R.E. Garrison’s way. Year over year, his office has grown 500% and his expectations are high for 2022.

With all the tangible growth Nathan has created he said that his proudest moments with R.E. Garrison are the ones that are not read on company emails. Nathan said he feels the best when someone on his team is financially able to buy their first home or a new car. He says his goal is to always present others with the same opportunities he was given.

Nathan’s advice to those in his beginning role is to trust that the hard work will pay off. “I never wavered. I trusted that if I came in and worked hard, I’d be successful.”

In his final words, he seamlessly references R.E. Garrison’s fourth core value, “Own It, Fix It, Move On.” Nathan said, “If I made a mistake, I learned from it.”

Food Bank Egg Delivery

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 03:01:12 GMT

On Monday, July 10 at 2:00 p.m., R.E. Garrison Trucking, Inc. delivered 54,000 eggs, donated by Cal-Maine Foods, to the Food Bank of North Alabama. This initiative was implemented to help Alabama families and people in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries and the Alabama Trucking Association’s members, all 280,000 eggs will be delivered throughout the state.

“R.E. Garrison Trucking is proud to be a part of this initiative – we help feed America every day,” said Chief Operating Officer Wayne Burden. “Today we saw the product being delivered and will be distributed to fellow Alabamians struggling through this pandemic. It’s always great to get out and visit the communities we are impacting.”

Keith Wise, Director of Sales & Alabama Trucking Association board member thanked the Alabama Trucking Association for organizing the delivery. “Throughout this pandemic, Americans have realized the vital role the trucking industry plays in keeping our economy moving and seeing it directly help those in our sate reinforces why we do what we do.”

Special thanks to Pattie Lara, local driver for R.E. Garrison Trucking since 2012, for going above and beyond to ensure everything was ready for the delivery.

R.E. Garrison Trucking, Inc. was founded in 1959 and is known as one of America’s most trusted refrigerated carriers. Over sixty years later, servicing 48 states with a fleet of 600+ trucks, the principals of honesty, hard work and fair play ring true today.

A Trucker's View

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 03:26:14 GMT

Even though I travel some of the same roads over and over again, each time I see them differently. The road I followed today I’ve been over several times, 3 times in just the past few days. Yet as I came though the lava fields of southern Utah I saw a landscape new to me. As the sun settled behind the ancient volcanoes they came to life. The sky was dimming and only the glow from behind them lit the sky. It is easy to imagine that molten rock flowing down the back side of these mountains is what's causing them to glow in the twilight. Even the sliver of moon, hanging just above the crest, is orange from the heat of

the erupting earth.

As I left the violent, ancient land the sky turned black and the world around me condensed to a small sphere around my headlights. The road began to twist and turn, rising and falling without warning. I’m passing through the Virgin River gorge. The headlights flash on heaved and folded rock. I can’t see more than a few feet off the road but I can feel the mountains looming over me, watching me pass through the wound caused by the flow of the river over eons of time.

Between the undulating road and the wild visions of the distorted mountains I feel like I’m in a funhouse at an amusement park. Not sure if I’m going up or down, gravity seems to be of no help in figuring it out.

The road now opens up to the desert. I stop atop a rise to pause and look at the night sky. There are no man made lights to be seen. The stars are so bright and thick they blur together.

It’s easy to feel what the first of our kind must have felt looking up to the sparkling sky. There is no evidence of mankind out here at night. Not until I notice a few of the stars blinking. They are all in a line like they were strung on a necklace across the sky. The planes lined up on final for the Las Vegas airport.

I get back on the road and follow them across the desert. In the distance the sky begins to brighten. A man made dawn, rising from the south behind another wave of mountains. As I crest the last rise I am looking down on a lake of electric lights. The stars fade away, giving up this part of the sky to the artificial galaxy below. It’s a long steep grade down to the shores of this lake. I half expect to make waves in the lights as the truck plunges into them.

It’s amazing how sharp the line between the modern world of man-made spectacle and the power and beauty of the unspoiled mother is out here.

Just a few minutes drive and I’ve traveled hundreds of thousands of years.

Life and You; A Lesson to Learn

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 03:24:09 GMT

Most of us are always on our guard against contagious diseases of the body, but we are exasperatingly careless when it comes to the even more dangerous, collective diseases of the mind.

Sometimes the relationship you need to rescue the most, is the one you have with yourself. Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.

What holds most people back isn’t the quality of their ideas, but rather their lack of faith in themselves. You have to live your life as if you are already where you want to be. It’s like everyone tells a story about themselves, every minute, every hour, of every day. Unconsciously, we tell a story of who we are. That story makes you what you are. We build ourselves up, or tear ourselves down, with that story every day.

Life is a process of becoming. It is a combination of all of the “states” we’ve been in. A state of elation, a state of joy, a state of denial, a state of depression, etc. Where people fail, is becoming too comfortable in the good states that they quit trying to reach out for new goals and they, in essence, die on the vine because of inactivity.

It’s surprising how many people go through life without ever recognizing that their feelings towards other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves. If you’re not comfortable with yourself, you can’t be comfortable with others.

You are as amazing as you let yourself be. Whatever you believe about yourself on the inside is what you will manifest on the outside. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us”.

Never sacrifice who you could be in the future for who you think you are right now. Identity isn’t found, it’s made. It is never too late to be what you might have been.

Now get up and get started. Life, unlike your TV, has no remote. Get up and change it yourself.

Happiness

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 03:20:22 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

As we grow older, and hence wiser, we slowly realize that wearing a $300 or a $30.00 watch - - they both tell the same time. Whether we carry a $300 or a $30.00 wallet/handbag - - the amount of money inside is the same. Whether we drink a bottle of $300 or $15 wine - - the hangover is the same. Whether the house we live in is 300 or 3000 sq. ft. - - loneliness is the same. Whether you drive an $8,000 Honda or an $80,000 Benz --they both serve the same purpose. You will realize, your true inner happiness does not come from the MATERIAL things of this world.

Therefore, I hope you realize, when you have soul mates, buddies and old friends, brothers and sisters, who you chat with, laugh with, talk with, have sung songs with, talk about north-south-east-west or heaven and earth - - That is true happiness!!

SIX UNDENIABLE FACTS OF LIFE

Don't educate yourself to be rich. Educate yourself to be happy. So when you grow up, you will know the value of things not the price.
Best awarded words: "Eat your food as your medicines. Otherwise you have to eat medicines as your food."
The One who loves you will never leave you because even if there are 100 reasons to give up he or she will find one reason to hold on.
There is a big difference between a human being and being human. Only a few really understand it.
You are loved when you are born. You will be loved when you die. In between, you have to manage!
If you just want to Walk Fast, Walk Alone! But if you want to Walk Far, Walk Together!

SIX BEST DOCTORS IN THE WORLD

Faith
Sunlight
Self Confidence
Friends
Exercise
Rest
Maintain them in all stages of Life and enjoy a healthy life. The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

If you will read and follow the Six Undeniable Facts Of Life, you will be comfortable in life. Happiness is not having what you want, it's being content with what you have.

Love you all.

Good Afternoon

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 03:13:11 GMT

I just wanted to send a shout out to you all today and share some old-fashioned feelings. My Father drove for R.E. Garrison for many years up until brain cancer took him away from us in 2008. He loved this company and the freedom it gave him to keep being a “trucker”. Dad was all about the small things in life, a big believer in family and he had the heart of a big ole teddy bear. He had the look too! He drove for several companies along his career, or road if you will, and Garrison felt like home. In fact, it felt like home so much to him, that it became one in the same to me. When I saw, or see, a big red truck sporting the Garrison lettering or logo, my heart races a little, because I know Dad is there. Whether it be coming home for a day to visit while on a run, or taking a detour between loads, seeing a Garrison truck nearby made me look really close for Dad. You guys may think it funny, but I still look for his grin inside a truck, or that hat, or his suspenders walking alongside a trailer at a truck stop. I am pretty sure I forever will. You guys and gals that drive for a living for R.E. Garrison, please remember that there are a lot of us family members out here, praying for your every load, wishing you home in all the right ways. We always look to see if we can spot you in a rig of a particular color, and those very colors mean so much to us. We know under those cabs, there lies our hearts, our family, our people, and in many cases, our very lives. We cheer you all on, we send you out with love and prayers, and we will always wave and even shed a tear as you drive by us. Don’t think we are stalkers, just family members remembering, missing and rooting for those still here. A little while back, we were able to get a few hats from the company as a gift from the President and even a few t-shirts. My brothers and I wear them proudly from time to time. And as much as I want to keep something like that in pristine condition, I know its rightful place is worn until it fades. We so much want to thank those involved for the gift and the memory, and may God bless and keep you every one on your road.

There's Nothing Like It

Wed, 08 Jun 2016 03:17:19 GMT

There's nothing like the feeling of starting a new day. We all have different routines to get going, but the excitement is there, regardless of your situation, job, marital status, or your social-economic background.

Mine has variations, as do most, but it typically goes like this:

As I am ready to start the work day, I say a short little prayer, and pray for my family, my job, safety for the day, my truck (as crazy as that sounds) and all the other drivers out on the road away from their families.

I then do a series of checks on the interior of my truck, followed by a quick check of the outside, including but not limited to truck damage, safety items, and preventive maintenance issues I may see while walking around the truck and trailer.

As I return to the truck, I start the truck, and listen to that individual sound that every truck has. It lets you know everything is okay. I, once again, do a visual check of the interior gauges, and pull out the required regulatory paperwork, I'm required to keep, and thoroughly fill in all the required areas.

Now, in any job or hobby you get involved in there is that one thing that grabs your attention, and or holds your attention enough, to keep you coming back for more. Here's the part that, not only gets my attention, but also holds my attention, everyday:

When I do one last check of the gauges, and I check the mirrors, to observe my surroundings, I grasp the wheel, press down of the clutch, and slowly put the truck in gear. Here's that moment. I release the brakes, check the mirrors one last time, and start to let up on the clutch pedal. As the engine tone changes, you listen to the sounds of your work place come to life with the sounds of a brand new day. Ass the hundreds of thousands of moving parts, all start to move in unison creating a rocking motion only felt in a truck, you have just began a new day. A day that will be un-like any before or un-like any you will ever face again.

When you pull out of the truck stop and down the service road towards the on-ramp, you are setting the wheels in motion to move through this day with all the excitement of a teenager setting out on his or her first date.

Then, the moment of truth, as you turn on the on-ramp and roll into the throttle. You wake the engine up, and it comes to life with over 500 horsepower rumbling right below your feet.

With this new beginning you have so many options.

You soon learn how big the worlds is. How little and possible insignificant your part may be, but without that little piece of the puzzle, the puzzle could never be whole.

You may not control the piece of freight, the price of fuel. or equipment.

You may not be able to control traffic, and how the motoring public operate their own vehicle, but you can always serve as a good example to those you come in contact with.

There are so many things in which we have no control, but what you can control is how you react to those situations you're confronted with on a daily basis.

As I started this dissertation, there is nothing like starting a new day. It is my hope and prayer to you all: that you not let others rob you of your joy. We can't control the bad things that happen or come our way, but we can certainly control how we react to them.

I hope each of you find joy in the simplest things you do. I hope this new, year is filled with 365 days of, if not true happiness, true contentment of your life and your surroundings. It's not about what you have or where you are in life, but how you accept it or have the courage to change it.

Now start that truck, or that proverbial truck and let's get started on a brand new day, because there's nothing like it.

Smile today. You may never know who needs one.