This past week my brother came to visit when he was in town for a conference. I worked during the day while he was at the conference. The two evenings he was here, he had already gone to dinner with colleagues, and when he arrived at my home we relaxed and visited. It was good to catch up with him since he lives three states away.

Then Friday night I made the 2 ½ hour drive “home” and had dinner with some of my cousins. One of my sisters coordinates this frequently, and I am usually unable to attend. So, it was nice to sit next to a cousin I do not see very much and just catch up on our lives. Since the last time I attended one of these gatherings, we have lost two of my cousins, so it was good to be there.

The next morning my sisters and I had brunch. One of my sisters had brought two tin picnic baskets of my mom’s. They were full of newspaper clippings and articles dating back to the early 1900s. We enjoyed sorting through them and speculating if they were worth anything. Some were, but most weren’t. But the history that was documented in these articles was certainly noteworthy.

Headlines from World War II, such as Japan Bombs Pearl Harbor, USA Declares War on Japan, etc, were fascinating. There was even an article in a local newspaper showing a picture of my father and his brother in their Navy and Army uniforms, talking about the fact that it was the first time they were together in three years. I found out in that article that my uncle had been wounded during the war and shipped home because of it. None of us knew about it! When we asked my cousin, she replied, “Oh, yeah, Dad was wounded during the war,” like we all knew that fact.  

The weekend reminded me of one constant in my life. Family. We don’t get to chose our families we are born into. Sometimes the families we get are totally dysfunctional and morally bankrupt (we were not exempt from some of that) but overall, I think of most of my family with fondness and love. Plus, I have the bonus of having a chosen family, with strong bonds as Christians. I love both of my families.

Overall, it was an enjoyable, relaxing weekend and I didn’t realize how much I needed that! Like any family, sometimes we have our squabbles and we don’t all have the same lifestyles, but we still love each other deeply. We were close to most of our cousins (49 on my dad’s side) while growing up and some of them even seem like siblings because we were together so much.

The weekend also reminded me that we are getting older and it is a precious thing to still share our lives together. What a blessing it is.

So, my challenge to you is this: Make sure not to let the blessing of family go by the wayside. Maybe talk about history and all the times your family has experienced along the way. You are making history for the next generations. If your family was/is not toxic, try to stay in touch with them and keep the bonds strong. You will be glad you did!