My aunt continued to remark about how much she misses everyone and how we don’t do this enough. But even with this being a milestone event as well as an opportunity to see family, many people did not make it.
And to be honest, I was usually the one never there. Having lived hours away from home since I was 21 years old, I have missed more family gatherings than I have made. But this past one made me realize how much I am really missing.
Studying several faces and then realizing who I am looking at while saying hello with open arms is strange. I don’t know them anymore. I found myself saying many times to people, “You probably saw on Facebook…” I had little to discuss.
They know most about my life, husband and children. It took away from the importance of why we were together. We sat and enjoyed catching up with one another. People who always seemed so young now look old.
Several people told me we should have a family reunion soon if only everyone wasn’t so busy. But something tells me the people of my grandmother’s generation were much busier yet still found time to visit with family.
Family meant something back then. People understood the importance of visiting one another, of shaking hands and laughing. People understood that time was fleeting and those you care about most won’t be here forever. Family was all you had.
