Family
I’m the middle child of a large family. There are eight of us – three boys and five girls. Growing up in a big family had its positives and negatives. With that many kids inevitably there was always someone to play with. On the flip side, inevitably there was likely someone you were at odds with.
Interestingly, we don’t appear as a tight-knit family because some of us can go years without talking. It has nothing to do with friction and everything to do with life getting in the way.
I travel A LOT – both for work and pleasure. As I write this, I’m sitting in a hotel room in Orlando. A one day trip to do a workshop. All my siblings are busy with life and unfortunately, it ultimately means we don’t take time to check in with each other except when something really bad or really good has happened.
Curiously, the boys tend to be good about staying in touch with each other, as do the girls. I suspect this has to do partially with how we were raised. My sister ( a year younger ) was hit by a moving van at the tender age of six. The neighborhood pulled together and set up a babysitting schedule for the month she spent in the hospital. Each day there was a sign on the door – girls go to this neighbor, boys go to that one.
When we do get the chance to talk it tends to be limitless. As I write this I’m realizing I need to make connecting with siblings much more of a priority. With the initial brain tumor scare, it became a priority to talk. Then things went back to normal. With the initial cancer scare. It became a priority to talk. Then things went back to normal.
However, when the chips are down. All the siblings come running. As we are helping my sister process through her husband’s passing it is easy to see how the siblings have stepped up to make sure her needs are met. Much in terms of just being there, but also in terms of helping her figure out what’s next in life.
Its fun helping her out. She has a very clear view of the world. Especially in terms of past and future. The past is what it is – it cannot be changed. The future is a clean slate. At this point, the entire world is open to her. I’m hoping she’ll be sharing many of her legacy moments. Although her marriage was cut short – those 10 years were filled with innumerable memory moments.
