Dear Diary, we got up early to go home. When we got home, I played outside and watched T.V. Then we ate supper. It was not a very fun day! I almost watched T.V. all day! After supper I watched more T.V. Then I went to bed!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Dear Weblog, speaking of returning from funerals, I just returned home from my uncle's funeral in my hometown. What a wonderful time we all had celebrating his life. All of my cousins were there - most of whom I just saw last month, but some of whom I haven't seen in years. I am trying to come up with the right words to describe this collective group and I am at a loss. I am so fortunate to be able to call them more than my friends... they are my family. Then. Now. Forever. We grew up together. We shared holidays together. The memories are endless. The love is genuine. Some families merely exist. Ours thrives. Of my 12 first cousins and all their spouses and all their children (and even some of their children's children!)... our numbers just keep growing. And I know every single one of them. (How many families can claim that?) I simply can't imagine my life without them.
Back in 1997, as we gathered for the last wedding of my generation, someone made a comment about how we probably wouldn't be gathering again until we started attending funerals. That struck a chord with me and I wasn't about to let this family drift apart. I am happy to report that between that wedding and this funeral, we have gathered together FIVE different times - regardless of the geographical distance that has begun to separate us all. You see, this family means so much to me that I initiated a family reunion to be held every other year - the first one was in 1999. I coordinate it every time and will coordinate it until the day I die if it means keeping this family close. We ALL look forward to it so much, and it is my fervent hope that the children will realize the goldmine they have been born into and continue to carry on this tradition. I should stop. Any words I can come up with only serve to demean my true emotions. It is not something to explain... it is something that can only be experienced.
I sincerely hope that you will strive to know and love your family as I do mine.
1 comment:
This is beautiful. I wish my family had stayed that close. What an awesome job to organize family reunions for such a large family.
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