Time Marches On
They say that time flies when you are having fun. Truth is, it goes by pretty quickly even if you aren’t enjoying yourself all that much. What triggers these thoughts?
Tomorrow is the Baloun Family Reunion. The first one was 18 years ago in 1987. Andrew was just a baby at the first one; this year he graduated from high school. Mendon was a toddler; this year he is getting married. As I look over the series of photos that we took each year, you can see the footprints of time as it marched across our faces. Gramma started out as the energetic young grandmother and organizing force behind these get-togethers and has become the stooped, respected and cosseted elder of the family; still witty and loving and sharp, but no longer able to keep up physically.
There are those who are no longer with us and those who have joined us and those whose have weaved in and out as their lives moved. Cousin Rob. Matthew, Nina, and Andrew. Amy, Jaci, Jessica and Leah. Andrew and Chris, Zayn and Rahmat. Grampa won’t be there tomorrow, nor will Aunt Marcie. They were both there last year. It was the last year for them.
It is a bittersweet memory to think of the passage of those years. The reason that we started these was because the family was growing too big to fit in anyone’s house for Thanksgiving or Christmas. (Too many children!) Plus as new families were forming and babies were being born, these new families wanted to spend their holidays in their own homes. So we invented the summer family reunion. At one point we had up to 37 people. Not all of them were there each time, but we used to be a big group. Tomorrow I expect about 25.
I suppose that isn’t bad, but I guess I am missing my crew. Of my children, only Mendon -- not even ‘and Kristen’ – will be there. I know they live far away and it isn’t reasonable to expect them to come, but I still feel sad. I was thinking about why and I think it is because I am so proud of my children. I will miss having the family make a fuss over my kids and being able to brag on them. Oh, I will still brag on them, but it would be nice if my kids could hear me brag on them.
But I suppose I should put this in perspective. After all, the last Dean Family Reunion was 19 years ago. I figure if we have one next year and another in 20 years, I will only have to plan two more.
Comments
Well, you didn't get your title of "Queen of Guilt" for nothing.
Of course, this is a rare treat to have Rahmat around.
Sorry we can't be there. I'd love to see an album of all the years!!
Do you think we'll have a Dean reunion? I think next year would be a perfect time to get together and do it! Heck, if we only do them every 20 years, you can probably pawn off the planning to one us kids the next time around :)
Posted by: Mara | August 7, 2005 1:19 PM
Uncle Christophe and I were talking about it.
Queen of Guilt? I have to re-read my entry to see where that seeped in. Oops. Didn't mean it to. I will post the pictures. Maybe I will get on Flicker and try to figure out how it works. Probably much simpler than I realize. One of these days between, Candy and me, we will get an album together. I think there may be a few years that are missing, but most of them are there.
Posted by: Ma | August 8, 2005 9:42 AM
Guilt? No, melancholy; perhaps even maudlin, but no reason for any of you to feel guilt. I don't. Life happens. Where is it written that everyone has to live within 30 miles of their parents? Even though I can accept and even love the way things are (how else would I have gotten to visit Haifa off-pilgrimage?), there are moments when I do wish you were all a bit more accessible. But that isn't the way things are, so other arrangements have to be made.
Posted by: Ma | August 8, 2005 9:47 AM