Through all the tears surrounding the death of my beloved Grandmother, I adored all the family time we shared! All of us had not been together in one place at one time in years. We all had a common bond and we leaned on each other for support. It was a long weekend that I will treasure in my heart forever. Yes, I’m feeling mushy and sentimental, and I’m proud of it! ~smile~
Today, over lunch, a friend told me that her family used to get together every few years for a family reunion. Her uncle organized the event and her family would come from all parts of the country to catch up and hang out. Sadly, after his death the family reunions were unofficially discontinued and now she hasn’t seen a lot of her relatives in over five years. It’s no one’s fault in particular. Life gets busy. It’s a lot of work to plan and organize a big event; but, I would venture to say it’s worth it to do so.
How long has it been since your entire family got together in one place? Would it be possible to organize a family reunion? It may not be possible to get everyone together, but if you could get most of the family together, it would be worth it to have a time of celebration. It seems like weddings and funerals are the only times entire extended families get together. There is something to be said for gathering together for just being with family and not only for weddings and funerals.
Eric and I were talking recently about how much Granny would have enjoyed one last family gathering before she passed away. Eric then had the idea for families to throw a party for elderly family members who may be approaching the end of their days. It sounds sad when you think about it, but what’s sadder is laying them to rest and regretting that you didn’t spend more time with them when you had the chance. How great would it be to have the memory of a loved one having the time of his or her life surrounded by family and friends? Having that last happy memory with your aging loved ones would be worth far more than the trouble it would take to organize a party. It doesn’t have to be an expensive party. It could even be a potluck. All that matters is that loved ones are gathered, they bond, and make lasting memories.
Many families have good intentions of organizing such an event, but as we all know, life is busy and unless good intentions are turned into written priorities, nothing will ever materialize. I encourage you to consider putting together a family reunion or a holiday gathering if your extended family usually doesn’t get together for holidays. Ask for help if you need help planning it. If no one in your family is terribly sick, feel free to give yourself and your family time and plan the event several months in advance.
If you are married, talk to your spouse about what it would take to get this plan in motion. If you are dating or engaged, ask your sweetheart for help planning, and use this as a time to help your honey get to know your family better. I’m thankful for the holiday gatherings Eric and I had with Granny before she passed away. She loved Eric and it did my heart good to know that she approved of my marriage.
Happy planning!
What would need to happen to get a family reunion underway?