The Absent Uncle: Being a 'tweeter' has great benefits

Reconnection.

The Absent Uncle left Minnesota after a couple of unfulfilling years of college. I joined the Navy and started a journey following work, relationships, survival, and judgements about the next decision/path for the next almost 50 years. 

I don’t think my story is a lot different from a lot of other people. Life has a very interesting and challenging set of decisions to be made. We make them based on experience (limited), survival (hopefully strong), and your best judgement (questionable). Those parentheses come from my youth and realization (in retrospect) about the risks and consequences of making life altering decisions. 

But we all do it. We have to. And at what cost?

What I now see is that I missed the connection with family. Siblings with children that grew up without much interaction with me. Nieces and nephews that have families of their own, so many interests that I share, and that I missed being a part of. 

I am a ‘tweener’.  I am the youngest – my next oldest sibling is 9-plus years older than me, but my oldest nephew is only six years younger than me. Kind of an interesting spot. But, because of my decisions I seemed to have had lost connections with both ends. 

Retirement and age come along – and realization.

Reconnection with my siblings has been relatively easy. Our connection through mom and dad is a natural. Reconnection with my nieces and nephews is much more individualized. I have really enjoyed getting to know each of them – realizing both our connections and their growth. (First lesson: I had to stop seeing them as being a 6-year old!) All are individuals, accomplished in so many different ways, and have their own very interesting stories. 

As I go through this reconnection process, I have started to realize being a ‘tweener’ has its great benefits. I can be a part of two generations.