To North Dakota and Beyond
I have had a very busy three weeks. I've been on the road for much of that time. Several things happened during that time, and I have much I want to share. I guess I'll just take it in increments.
We took a road trip. By we, I mean mainly my family...my sister, her boys, two of mine, my niece. My parents took the same road trip but on a different day, by a different route.
We went to North Dakota. Doesn't that sound funny? We left the Monterey Peninsula for the vacation capital of the world...Jamestown North Dakota (don't ya know). My grandmother had her 90th birthday, so it was a family reunion of sorts. My other sister was there, whom I haven't seen for 4 years. What a treat that was. And then the aunts! My dad has three sisters (there are also three of us in this generation). We seem to be younger versions of these lovely women, and it is always comical to watch the interactions between them. How much of what we do and say and are is really genetic?
One of my biggest heros has always been my grandmother. She lost her husband in a farming accident when she was still a young woman, at a time when she had 6 children, the oldest being 7. She never remarried. The courage and strength of character that this woman possesses has always filled me with pride. As my sister says, her blood courses through our veins.
Our three days in North Dakota was wonderful. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention the other 6 days. It took us three days driving time to get there and three days for the return. Seven people in a 7 passenger mini-van (5 of them teenagers, 3 of whom were 6 ft. or taller) makes for a very cozy ride. We stopped in Montana on the way to and fro to see my mother-in-law and brother-in-law. How odd to see this man who looks more like my husband than he ever has before in his life. Even more disconcerting was to see him walk with my 16 year old son, looking like an older version of my child. It was as if I was in some crazy time warp and nothing was as it seemed.
God gives us such metaphors for life. I know this is cheesy, but truly, life is very much about the journey. How we get along with others when we are tightly packed, the forbearance we exhibit for the sake of unity (thank you, Derek, for not punching your autistic brother back when his cousin sneezed), the goofy things we laugh at because we so love the goofy one who said it, the things we notice along the way, the stories that we share; all become moments to treasure and to learn from. The "tumbleweeds" that chased and frightened you decades ago, show up again without their power, because in the retelling, your children see the 7 year old child you were and their hearts meld with both the child and the woman.
I thank God for small moments. I thank God for the journey. And I thank God for my family.
We took a road trip. By we, I mean mainly my family...my sister, her boys, two of mine, my niece. My parents took the same road trip but on a different day, by a different route.
We went to North Dakota. Doesn't that sound funny? We left the Monterey Peninsula for the vacation capital of the world...Jamestown North Dakota (don't ya know). My grandmother had her 90th birthday, so it was a family reunion of sorts. My other sister was there, whom I haven't seen for 4 years. What a treat that was. And then the aunts! My dad has three sisters (there are also three of us in this generation). We seem to be younger versions of these lovely women, and it is always comical to watch the interactions between them. How much of what we do and say and are is really genetic?
One of my biggest heros has always been my grandmother. She lost her husband in a farming accident when she was still a young woman, at a time when she had 6 children, the oldest being 7. She never remarried. The courage and strength of character that this woman possesses has always filled me with pride. As my sister says, her blood courses through our veins.
Our three days in North Dakota was wonderful. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention the other 6 days. It took us three days driving time to get there and three days for the return. Seven people in a 7 passenger mini-van (5 of them teenagers, 3 of whom were 6 ft. or taller) makes for a very cozy ride. We stopped in Montana on the way to and fro to see my mother-in-law and brother-in-law. How odd to see this man who looks more like my husband than he ever has before in his life. Even more disconcerting was to see him walk with my 16 year old son, looking like an older version of my child. It was as if I was in some crazy time warp and nothing was as it seemed.
God gives us such metaphors for life. I know this is cheesy, but truly, life is very much about the journey. How we get along with others when we are tightly packed, the forbearance we exhibit for the sake of unity (thank you, Derek, for not punching your autistic brother back when his cousin sneezed), the goofy things we laugh at because we so love the goofy one who said it, the things we notice along the way, the stories that we share; all become moments to treasure and to learn from. The "tumbleweeds" that chased and frightened you decades ago, show up again without their power, because in the retelling, your children see the 7 year old child you were and their hearts meld with both the child and the woman.
I thank God for small moments. I thank God for the journey. And I thank God for my family.
posted by Kaye @ 9:38 AM
0 comments
