Family Reunions

"Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future. We make discoveries about ourselves." ~Gail Lumet Buckley

One of my co-workers stopped by my office today to discuss summer vacation plans.    Sophie told me that she and her three sisters had just decided to take their mother to visit her mother’s sister in South Carolina.  Sophie’s Aunt Lois was rapidly beginning to decline from Alzheimer’s disease and over the holiday weekend her mother had announced to her daughters that she definitely wanted to go to her sister’s funeral in South Carolina when the time came.  Sophie and her sisters immediately chimed in, “Why wait?  Let’s go now while Aunt Lois will be able to enjoy the visit too.”   Their mother was delighted with the proposition and they have synchronized their schedules and plan to head south before the summer is over.  They have planned a great reunion for these sisters.   

Recognizing that time spent together while we are still able to enjoy each other’s company, to listen to their voices and to see the smiles in our loved ones eyes are gifts that no one can take from us.  Time is precious and taking the opportunity to visit with a loved one should not be delayed if at all possible.  Circumstances may be unavoidable and a face-to-face visit may not be viable but there are other options; videotape your children playing for their grandparents to enjoy, send a digital picture frame filled with family photos taken over the last year for long-distance relatives to view or record a favorite past experience you shared with your distant loved one and send it off -- not only will it invoke memories they will delight in the sound of your voice.