Today we went to a family gathering on the Richey side of the clan, which of course meant Lots of People. Truth be told, it was kind of on the smallish side for a Richey Gathering, which meant that it was only slightly larger than the largest gathering I've ever been to on my side of the family...
Anyway, one of the neatest things about it was the range of generations there... everyone from Nathan's oldest uncle (late sixties) down to a few cousins-once-removed just a few months old. And then, of course, we also paid a visit to the patriarch and matriarch of the clan, Nathan's grandparents (both in their nineties). We don't get to see them very often- specifically because they're so elderly that they don't get out anymore- so it was nice to be able to spend a few minutes visiting with them (they also don't have the energy for a lot of people, or long interactions). The whole experience got me thinking about the shifting family dynamics of age and generation.
Unfortunately, my brain is not organized enough to make a good post out of those thoughts, because I just woke up from a four hour nap. Sorry about that... but I will say that I had a moment of pure panic when I thought I'd missed a post- the first time I would have done so in the over-six months we've been doing this. Fortunately I was mistaken...
Anyway I guess what it primarily comes down to is that I refuse to buy into our culture's fear of aging. I will do my damnedest not only to age gracefully, but to actively look forward to and appreciate each new stage of life, and the opportunities it brings. I think too often we as a society forget that there is value at all ages, not just the twenty years in the middle (yes I'm starting around age 16 with that generalization). And that's about as coherent as it gets for now...
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