Our Family

I just returned from traveling to Colorado with my husband to attend a memorial service for Aunt G., one of his elderly aunts. I did not know my husband’s aunt as well as he knew her. But being in attendance first at the graveside gathering and then later among a larger assembly, I got to know her and her offspring and their offspring better.

I’d first met Aunt G. at a family reunion she hosted many years ago. The setting was beautiful. We were down by a river, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, but without any modern conveniences. 

My husband and I were newly married and the reunion was quite overwhelming for me. Though I’d met my mom-in-law before, she had five siblings and these five siblings each had offspring who also had offspring. I was in the throng of three generations of strangers, albeit friendly ones. 

Aunt G., who was in charge of everyone and everything, cooked our meals over a large open fire. She made pancakes and eggs for breakfast and grilled beef and potatoes for dinner. 

During the day there were horseshoe competitions, fishing and hiking. At night there was singing and storytelling around the campfire. It was a real cowboy kind of weekend because she and her family were ranchers. 

After that, I rarely saw Aunt G. but heard snippets of news; her husband died, one of her sons built a house that included space for her to live in, her only daughter died, and one of her grandchildren suffered from a physical ailment.  

Aunt G. lived comfortably for many years with her son until her health failed. Then they were forced to put her in an elderly care facility where she lived for a few more years and then succumbed to death. 

Standing at the graveside service and then later sitting at the larger gathering, I no longer felt like I was among generations of strangers. Even though I’d not seen some of these people since that  first family reunion down by the river, everyone had not only grown up, but there had been time for Aunt G.’s fruit to mature.

This aunt was all about faith and family. She’d poured her love into the lives of those who surrounded her life. She not only loved her offspring fiercely, but that same love seeped into the lives of nieces, nephews, grandkids, in-laws and friends. Even though she was no longer living, I saw her love alive and well through the lives of others she’d loved. 

Why Bother?

Why bother cherishing our family? Someday we’ll all be dead, but if we’ve invested our love wisely into the lives of those that surround us whether our offspring, nieces, nephews, grandkids, in-laws or friends, then our love will live on through their lives.

P.S.  I wrote the story of my journey to forgiveness for those who, like me, know they need to change, but are not quite sure where to start. You can find A Heart’s Journey To Forgiveness at Redemption Press and Amazon.