The importance of a good family is something I think we all tend to forget, until life throws an anvil for you to catch.
We are dealing with some hard news this weekend and it’s so much easier to deal with when those calls start coming, siblings and cousins calling up to talk and see if you need anything. People you haven’t seen in years offering to jump on a plane to come be with you.
We are all old enough our parents have passed, but I think they would be really proud of how their offspring still band together when it is needed.
I hope you all have this in your lives.
I hope even more that you are this in the lives of those you love.
Coming from my perspective I have always had a very supportive and loving family. COVID all but killed me in 21. Now in 24 I am 54 yoa. The family that I have left on both sides of my family are all but gone. I have my mom and two of her brothers.
On my dad’s side of the family all that I have left is my brother, sister in law, nephew, one first cousin and 3 second cousins. My wife’s family is a little larger but there are still not many left. I so long for the fleeting decades of my life. Just one more Thanksgiving day or Christmas day with all of my family back around the table and socalizing. That one more day would be worth everything that I own.
Got a call this morning, my Uncle passed last night in his sleep. David was the oldest Brother - and they all passed in opposite order of birth. He was 83 or 84.
You aren’t alone on this. I used to think my family was amazing, then my father passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. My sister chose THAT WEEK to show her true colors and my mother could not have cared less about it. It took that to make me really think back over the course of our lives and realized exactly how she’s always treated me, but our father would always knock her down a couple pegs when necessary. I’m now expected to just “let it go” and be the bigger person. It’s been a couple years now, all I have asked for is an apology, nothing more, and I haven’t (and won’t) get it. Turns out, Dad was the only reasonable and fair one, he handled everything, he made everything happen, and his loss shattered it all.
I have since separated entirely from all of them. I sold my house, left, and didn’t tell anyone where I went. Nobody bothered asking. They still haven’t. I could be lying dead in a ditch somewhere and they would be none the wiser about it. There’s no more family dinners, no more family outings, not even a single text. All it took was walking away to see where I really stood with everyone but Dad. He was amazing, and I am still beyond upset that he had to be the one to go…life truly is not fair.
Family can be great, supportive, and the single most important thing in your life if they are, but if they aren’t, they can also be the biggest examples of toxicity out there. Every coin has two sides, as they say.
Thank You Gentlemen, one and all. It’s much appreciated. Every one of my Uncles treated me like a Son, so each one’s passing has almost been like losing my Father, all-over again.
Jeff at times I wonder if it is best to have a great family relationship or one you that you could care less about. At least then it wouldn’t break your heart everytime you lost another family member.
Sounds like some great Uncles.
Growing up my dad shot as did my brothers, but no one really hunted.
My oldest Cousin traveled 1700 miles one way to come hunt deer with me.
I was 14, I think he was 38 that 1st hunt so he’s 84 this year, we still hunt deer he’s slower, I’m fatter but every other year or so (whenever we draw tags) we still go we still hunt.
