Are you familiar with John McCutcheon's song, "Water from Another Time"? You can listen to a sample here. (Actually, just go here and listen to samples from the entire album, if you enjoy folk music.)
Anyway, "Water from Another Time" reminds me of family reunions. Generations connect in simple, fun routines. For years, the descendants of my great-great-grandpa would gather one weekend in June for a picnic. Upon arrival, we met Uncle George, who would hand us our name tags and mark our attendance on a big family chart. One family always brought cherries from their orchard. Fried chicken, chocolate cake, and soda pop always appeared, too. Someone sang grace, then we all feasted. Afterwards, the men would throw horseshoes; the women sat and chatted. Children ran around, reacquainting themselves with distant cousins. After a while, the accordion came out and the music floated over us all. The three white-haired women (sisters and sister-in-law) came year after year, even in advanced years.
Sadly, with my grandma's generation disappearing all too rapidly, the reunions have died, too. The younger generations live in scattered locations, so even those who are willing just might not be able to come. I think that the family reunion is going to have to reinvent itself on a much smaller scale. Perhaps my parents, siblings, and all the children.
Do you have family reunions? I'd love to hear about them!
Thanks for families, and the "water from another time" that the older generations provide.
Anyway, "Water from Another Time" reminds me of family reunions. Generations connect in simple, fun routines. For years, the descendants of my great-great-grandpa would gather one weekend in June for a picnic. Upon arrival, we met Uncle George, who would hand us our name tags and mark our attendance on a big family chart. One family always brought cherries from their orchard. Fried chicken, chocolate cake, and soda pop always appeared, too. Someone sang grace, then we all feasted. Afterwards, the men would throw horseshoes; the women sat and chatted. Children ran around, reacquainting themselves with distant cousins. After a while, the accordion came out and the music floated over us all. The three white-haired women (sisters and sister-in-law) came year after year, even in advanced years.
Sadly, with my grandma's generation disappearing all too rapidly, the reunions have died, too. The younger generations live in scattered locations, so even those who are willing just might not be able to come. I think that the family reunion is going to have to reinvent itself on a much smaller scale. Perhaps my parents, siblings, and all the children.
Do you have family reunions? I'd love to hear about them!
Thanks for families, and the "water from another time" that the older generations provide.
I love the 'thought' of family reunions. When growing up, we only held a couple ..our family is very small. I would have loved to been able to attend or even hold a big, honking family reunion with hundreds of family members...I think that would be so much fun!
ReplyDeletenice post thanks for sharing...looking for to visit more blessings
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