The Absent Uncle: T’was the best of times!
We returned from a visit to Minnesota – we had a great time staying with friends in Minneapolis and a cousin in the Lake Shetek area. We got to see so many relatives at my brother’s 60th wedding anniversary celebration.
An interesting note – they had two groomsmen for the wedding. Me and a good friend of my brother. Neither bridesmaid was at the celebration and neither (nor any) could remember the pairings for the wedding. Who marched with whom in the actual ceremony. My brother was convinced that I was the best man, but I reminded him that I was underage and couldn’t fulfill a primary function of the best man of the bachelor’s party, so his friend stepped up and replaced me in that role – both in title and actual performance. Sixty years ago. I still remember how hot it was in the church and that I almost passed out during the long, long, long service. I did have to take a break mid-service and sit down with my head between my legs. And I was reminded of that (good naturedly) a number of times.
So many conversations with nieces, nephews, cousins, and people I have known for years and years. It certainly reminded me of the changing of the guard. We have no more grandparents, parents, uncles and aunts among us – we (my siblings and I) are the “old guys” along with our (getting fewer all the time) cousins from the same generation. And the number of them present to be available has thinned out considerably.
But the time with those present only made it plain how important our connections are. Shared memories, teasing, and the embrace that only can be felt with a close relative when you are saying goodbye.
Plus, the remembering of those that weren’t there – those that passed and had had such an effect on us. They were there. Not only in the stories shared, but in the smiles, the “you so resemble” remarks, and the memories. So many memories.
These are the moments that the Absent Uncle would wish for the do over, the mulligan, just another chance to get the whole gang together and tell those stories we all enjoyed one more time. Just one more time.
