Originally posted on Facebook on Friday, January 7, 2022.

In Week 1 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Harold Guyton.

Mr. Guyton founded Mississippi Paving & Construction back in 1992. He was one of my earliest commercial clients dating back to 2003.

You'd never know Mr. Guyton was in the room unless he wanted you to know. He was kind, peaceable –meek, but not to be confused with weak, rather power under careful control. When Mr. Guyton did make his presence known, his speech was measured and direct. He'd state the objective, ask you if you could handle it and then trust you with the rest.

I remember, especially as a black business owner, how affirming his style of management felt, as though your ability to perform at a high level and deliver were obvious. Your excellence was assumed. It made you want to meet that bar and to not disappoint.

Mr. Guyton would continue to affirm you in his own quiet way: by consistently bringing you into his world and maintaining proximity to yours. In the featured photo, Mr. Guyton, pictured center, takes time away from running his multi-million dollar business to attend the ribbon cutting of my new office.

I doubt he said ten words that day but what I heard loud and clear was, "I believe in you and what you're doing. I'm here to support it." I'm grateful. #52WoG

I spoke with Mr. Guyton just last week, and recently learned that they laid him to rest yesterday. Life is a vapor. Don't waste it.

Please join me in prayer for Mr. Guyton's wife, family and loved ones.