family reunion {july 24, 2022}

Growing up, my family moved around a lot due to my dad's career with Sears. His family was scattered all over the US and a few overseas. My mom's family on the other hand was located in the middle of rural Illinois, all living within an hour or two of one another. My dad's family did not have family reunions; my mom's family did. We didn't go every year but when we visited my grandparents in the summertime, Mom tried to plan our visit around the family reunion.

That reunion was so much fun. It was held on one of the family farms. Adults visited and caught up, kids played games and ran around in the wide open space and ate as much dessert as they could. 

T's dad's side of the family has had a reunion since 1947. His dad was one of 11 siblings and for many, many years the attendance was huge. When we were first married and when our kids were little, we attended the reunion every summer. The reunions were so fun with lots of planning to include all the generations. As our kids got older and involved in summer activities, our summer vacations revolved around the kids' schedules, and we began to miss reunions. So did lots of other families. 

This year was supposed to be the 75th anniversary but like everything else, COVID cancelled it in 2020 and the reunion powers that be deemed this one as the 74th. T's dad's generation mostly lived in the area and brought the numbers with their spouses and their respective families. With the second generation, many of the children have moved out of the area. Distance lowers attendance. The third generation's members have really scattered and many of them have no idea who their cousins are. Families just don't stay in one place anymore.

We attended this 74th/75th reunion and most of the attendees were from one branch of the eleven siblings. Most of them live in the area. It was fun to catch up with cousins and watch the little ones play. It had rained before the reunion started and puddles formed in the gravel driveway. Little kids love to splash in puddles. Adults love to smile at the pure fun and joy that a puddle brings both to the child and to themselves.

As to the future of the reunion, I don't know what will happen. There will be a 75th. People want to talk about how to keep it going and how to get the younger generations from all the family branches involved. It's hard not to dwell on the value of these simple traditions and how their absence will affect us all. My children know their first cousins but not their distant cousins. Are we making more out of it than what it was? You look back and you think, "Okay, it was important. It’s one of those things that are going by the wayside. It’s a different time."

And only time will tell.