Gratefulness (on feeling like you belong)

There is a family who chooses to include me.  I cannot express my thankfulness for them.  They give me a great deal, inclusion, enjoyment, anticipation of future events.  Without anticipation of future events what reason do we have to make us want to go on....  their younger generations are a delightful group, and interested in stories of family traditions and ancestry.

This is the family of the eldest daughter of my step-father, not legally, but the man to whom my mother was married later in life.  My inclusion is partially due to my mother and her husband, and partially due to this family always including that extra person, partially related, and some of us not related by blood, but connected by what must be familial love.  The next generation from my own, the grandchildren of my stepfather, were youngsters when my mother and I entered the family scenario, and I suppose that helps.  I was around a good bit when these folks were children,..and though I was nearly an adult myself at the time, we had fun spending time together... I was still a willing participant in "the kids table" for holiday mealtimes.  I was happy to join in the children's games and fun time.

The creation of this nexus is not that happy a story.... it involves a period of several years, from the death of my own father, fracturing familial ties,... and on, to the exile of my person by a blood relative on the very crux of my mother's acceptance into her new husband's family.  I will leave that story for another time,...or keep it entirely to myself.  It has little significance to me now.  And this blog is not about that.

My gratefulness lies in the acceptance and inclusion of this family.  There is no familial angst here at all,....there is lively debate, and love and laughter.  This is a family to look forward to spending time with,...with whom to lose track of time while enjoying the laughter, debate, and love.  It is a place of gentleness, and ease of companionship.  This is true no matter which portion of extended family is also included.... large extended families of siblings, aunt, uncles, cousins, and grandparents... a gathering of generations as well.  If there is an ideal, or a "dream" family, this family approaches that ideal... and they are embarrassed that I have suggested it.

It is the day after Easter as I write this.  I am fresh and satisfied from having spent a pleasant afternoon of fellowship with my niece and her family in their home; including my nephew (her brother) with his family, and my stepsister and her husband.  Seven adults and four children. All were at the dining room table, and there was lively discussion from more than one direction. 

I am included in the major holiday celebrations every year, and invited to various birthdays and mini-reunions though the rest of the year.  These are times I do look forward to with gratefulness.

We do not share our gratefulness often enough in this life.

So I am writing this because I have a family I chose: a family who chose me, and I love them.

Thank you for thinking of me. Thank you for including me.

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