Flapper's Folly

What a great weekend! We traveled to Oklahoma for my uncle's 75th birthday. As familys go, mine is small. Both my parents have only two siblings, all but one having two children. The other one only has one. As I have no brothers or sisters and my grandparents are all gone, my parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are the only family I have. This was a rare opportunity to see them under happy circumstances.

It's strange to see your parents, aunts and uncles getting so old. Finding yourself with grown children and some of your cousins already grandparents themselves. It seems it wasn't that long ago we were eating on the card table, listening to the grownups, our parents, sitting at the big table, talking and laughing.

My uncle was divorced from the mother of my cousins years ago. He then married a woman with four young children. It was wonderful that they were all there, even helped plan it, and proof that families are more about love than blood. I see it in my own little family, as my stepson benefits from having a big brother and sister and my children are blessed with a stepdad that loves them. We all benefit.

Coming from such a small family myself, it's gladdening to see how love seems to grow. Hearts open and encompass others so readily. Tolstoy wrote that all happy families are alike, but I think mine is very special.