When I was little, we used to go camping all the time. We would go to a really little campground and get camp sites all next to each other (my dad has 12 siblings, so our family is quite large) so that we could always be together. We'd cook together, play games, go to the beach, etc. I remember these summers well. All the adults would be huddled around a fire drinking beer and laughing hysterically at each others stories while the kids were all running around trying to avoid being around their parents. We did this for years, and it never seemed to get old. Every summer, whether it be for Fourth of July, Labor Day, Halloween or just another weekend, we were all together, and there was always a campfire.
A lot of people drift away from their family over time. Kid's get too "old and cool" to want to spend time with their family when their together (I was very guilty of this when I was like, 13-15), and then regret that time when they get older. Others are too busy to spend time with their family, and only do every so often. Maybe it's just that you didn't have a very close family growing up and don't want to be around them anyway. If you are one of the lucky ones that has been blessed with a close family, don't let that time slip by.
When I think back to growing up around in the settings I have been placed in, I don't know how I ever could have felt unloved. Now that I'm getting older, I'm starting to see my cousins start their lives. I don't know whats weirder, seeing my older cousins have children, or my younger cousins starting to drive. My baby cousin Ang just recently got her drivers license and will be graduating from high school next year. What? When the hell did that happen?
Thinking about that has made me think about what people think of when they watched me grow up. One day, I saw one of my aunts and I was playing hockey down in Nashville on a 12U team and had a chip in my front tooth; the next time I saw her I had a mortgage. Another example: when I turned 21, all one of my closest cousins kept saying was "I can't believe he's old enough to drink with us now!" It's such an entertaining journey to think about if you ever have the time to sit down and do so. Think about relatives you know, and milestones in your life. Imagine their reaction, or what it would have been.
This past weekend I got to join both of my brothers, my dad and three of my uncles on a golf outing. I can't even start to put into words how much fun we had. Regardless of the beverages that were provided, the ability to spend that much time with people that are so much like you, that have watched you grow up or have grown up with you is such a joy. Last year I played in a softball tournament with probably 20 of my cousins. It was coed and it was in the city that a majority of my family lives in, so EVERYONE was there. Whether their kids were playing or they just wanted to come out and watch us have fun, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, brothers and sisters were all out there. It was a very fun weekend, and I hope that anyone that gets an opportunity to do something big yet spontaneous like that takes full advantage of it.
We've recently had a couple losses on both sides of my family. My dad lost one of his sisters, and my mom her brother (my Godfather). The gratitude that both sides of the family showed for each other will never be replaced in my mind. Sometimes it's not about if you know the person that passed or not, it's about who did, and if you love that person you will be there for them in their time of need.
I understand that some families just aren't made for getting together at Christmas or going camping every summer, but that's all I've ever known. Yes, my family has it's flaws, it's bad apples and it's problems, but we work through it as one. Through every suffering and celebration, we are all here together. I guess I'm writing this to thank everyone in my family for being a part of it, and making it so great. Love you all. :]
Take care.
-Dub
"We are faaaaamily.."
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