Reunions

Your family has them. So does mine. I'm talking reunions. There is always food and drink. There are lively discussions. There are lots of moments of laughter. Lots. There are some heated discussions over politics and religion. There are bets on who's team will make it to the playoffs. All of us have these types of gatherings.

We've had a gathering like this for the past several weeks in Madison. A reunion of sorts. We had it at the biggest house. The one that holds the most people. The house with the biggest yard. To accommodate the most people. The Capitol. Our house. We met some family we hadn't met before. We found out that even though we come from different walks of life and may have different views on things, we really are mostly the same.

It was great to see everybody. The uncles, the aunts, the cousins, the young and the old alike. Everyone was welcome. Even the ones that didn't quite fit in. They were welcomed and appreciated. And sometimes there was a sigh of relief when they left. But we were all polite to one another. The way a family should be.

There was music and entertainment. There were some tears as stories were told. And immediately after the tears were comforting words. Words of hope. We rallied around each other in support. Because that's what families do for one another. So now our family has received some bad news. We will rise above this. Why? Because that's what we do. We grieve for the loss and look to the future. We will make the best of life. We will forge on.

These reunions are tricky things. But when they are planned well and attended well, a sense of belonging is felt by all. And a united group of people can really make things happen. That's what is so beautiful about families. Whether it is your immediate family, your church family, your work family or humankind family. Great things happen when great people work together. And I, for one, am looking forward to our next reunion!

©2011 Ann M. De Broux