Family Reunion

As my Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be found in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love one another as I have loved you. Greater love no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.     

John 15:9-13

Every year, my cousins from my mother’s family gather to celebrate our family. On odd years, we gather with spouses, children, and friends at a lake home in South Carolina for a day of skiing, swimming, eating, and yapping! On even years, we celebrate with FCO (First Cousins Only) at Carolina Beach. No children, no spouses, just the cousins… that’s when the real true stories of the Haseldens emerge. The true feelings, the stories that only our parents knew about the family, are passed to the next generation. We play Haselden trivia, share photos, and tell stories that our parents told us as children. Sometimes the stories are difficult, sometimes so funny all of us are rolling with laughter. One thing for sure, there isn’t a dull moment.

I love both the odd and even years. I love seeing the expanded family, and I also enjoy those more intimate conversations with my cousins. There were 30 of us at one time. Some have passed away; some aren’t able to come to the reunion every year – but those that can come gather to celebrate our family. I was at the younger end of the first cousin trail. I was number 25 of the 30 of us – so I didn’t hear some of the more sensitive stories until we began having these reunions. I was always one of the “kids” - too young to hear “everything”.

Now that our parents have all passed away – there are no more Haselden aunts and uncles left, it is up to us to carry on the tradition of that proud southern family. It’s work to stay in touch. It’s work to remain connected since we live all over the country. This May, if all goes as planned we will have cousins from California, Indiana, Massachusetts, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia.

We are a very diverse group. It’s amazing how we all came from the same family. But our differences are what make us unique. Our differences make us value what we know to be true and appreciate what we have. And our differences make us aware that it is ok to love someone who does not think exactly the same way that we do.

If we were all just alike, those annual reunions would be very boring. We wouldn’t even need to bother to make the trip. We could just stay home and entertain ourselves. We don’t know what will happen at these reunions, who will say what, or what effect we will have on each other.

What we know is that we are family and we will spend our time together sharing our lives. And we know that when we leave Carolina Beach after the week-end, we will all be changed in some way. From the preacher to the agnostic. From the wealthy to the poor in pocket. From the serious to the silly. From the alcoholic to the “never touch the stuff”. From the healthy to the ailing. From the joyful to the depressed. We will all touch each other – and help each other – tease each other unmercifully - and love each other unconditionally. That’s what family does.

Just like Christ directed us – we will “Love one another”. For that week-end and for the weeks to come until we gather next year at the lake with our families. Ahh. Life is good!

Lord, Thank you for family. Thank you for friends. Thank you for those whose lives cross our paths.  Lord thank you for the differences that we have that make our lives interesting. Help us to use your words as guidance to care for each other in spite of our differences. Help us to strive to understand each other and love each other – as you directed. Amen.