I remember seeing this picture in my grandmother's bedroom when I was a little girl. it was amazing to me that my father was the little blond boy in the photograph. I was very lucky as a little girl, both sets of grandparents and all my aunts and uncles lived in the same small town. We celebrated holidays together, we attended church together. My cousins ran in and out of my house all the time. What richness.
Now I live across the country from most of my family. But the stories of my childhood and the memories are alive. My children talk about their relatives as if they had grown up with them. I hope the stories my children will tell to their little ones will be as happy and full of love as the stories I have to tell.
One of my favorite quotes says, "God gave us memories so that we can have roses in winter and mothers forever." I have great grandparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and brothers and one adorable sister all mine forever. We still have many memories to make, but I already have a great wealth in my memories.
I once had a conversation with a woman who had chosen to have only one child. She was an only child and her husband was an only child. Being ignorant of all that when she expressed her shock at my choice to have so many children and expressed concern at what my children were missing by having to share their mother with so many others. I told her how I felt on the matter. I said that I felt sorry for children who grow up without siblings. I feel they are cheated on many levels. They often learn late in life that they aren't the center of the universe, they are deprived of the lasting friendships, shared association, and support of brothers and sisters. And their own children are cheated of aunts and uncles and cousins. As we watched our children play - her little son and my sons and daughters; the woman listened and shook her head sadly when I'd finished. Then she told me that it had never occurred to her what her son might be missing being an only child.
So I look at the picture of my father with his brother and sister and I see generations of people I love who have blessed my life. Y'all may live on the other side of the country but you are near and dear!