Was it all the food or was it all that love?

What do I remember most about the parties that my Mom and Dad took me to when I was a child? My sisters and I were never left at home with a babysitter, we were always part of the fun. I think in those days there were many more children around! So we would play with each other,while our parents had their own fun, but we were always together.

I remember the singing, the laughing, the food, the food, the food ... and the wonderful love that travelled amongst the people who were my Mother and Father's friends. In later years I found out that most of the people who were at the parties were relatives! How lucky I was to have so many people in my life that were related to me!

I am often teased that I am too family oriented, but I cannot help it, my parents taught me to love family and I want my children and their children to have that same love ... so far it is working. But ... sometimes when the parties get really noisy and the preparation and the work gets tiresome, I wonder what it would be like to be solitary. Not for long though. I know that my grandchildren will have good family memories when they grow up ... especially the parties with the laughter, the comraderie and, of course, the food.


Today, it seems sad that often, menbers of a family are isolated from each other. Everyone is too busy to make time for their family. Lives and careers separate family members. For reasons that are sometimes hard to understand, family members have not learned to "be there" or ask for help from the very people who should be able to be there for them.

I am often teased that I am too family oriented, but I cannot help it, my parents taught me to love family and I want my children and their children to have that same love ... so far it is working. But ... sometimes when the parties get really noisy and the preparation and the work gets tiresome, I wonder what it would be like to be solitary. Not for long though. I know that my grandchildren will have good family memories when they grow up ... especially the parties with the laughter, the comraderie and, of course, the food.