THE MIANZO SIDE - AS YOU CAN TELL , I AM THE OLDEST, THERE ARE TWO OF MY DEAR COUSINS MISSING FROM THIS PHOTO.
I am blessed to be in touch with cousins on both my dad's side, and my mom's side. I have a dear one from Kentucky, who just finished my dad's side of the family history, he put his heart and soul into it . It's fabulous, and filled with pictures, and so much information. No price tag can be put on it.
On my mom's side, I hear there is one cousin that has a lot of information, but so far, none of it has been shared as far as I know. I, being the oldest girl, should know more then I do, but I hardly know anything.
I am eight years older then my brother, which made me an only child for quite awhile. When my cousins and I saw each other, it was like they were my siblings. I envied my cousins that had other sisters and brothers, to me it seemed like they always had someone to play with. I saw them often because of weekly Sunday dinners.
Today, not so much. We live in a fast moving world. It is hard for families to make time for each other, let alone extended. For people that are around my age, it is sad to see. We know that the younger ones are missing out on an important part of life, but they are not aware of it. You can't miss what you never had.
Because of the Internet, face-book, and e-mails, I am able to keep in touch with my cousins that live out of state and in state. I am comforted by that.
On the other side of the coin, that being my husband's side, both sides, well, it is totally different. He has many cousins, but they don't keep in touch with us. We don't get invited to their functions or to their homes. We often have wondered why, but then, hey, it is what it is, can't change it. So we accept it. When we see them, they treat him nice, but like a casual acquaintance, not family. His two brothers do not live close, so we don't see them often enough, sometimes it makes him feel bad, but then he has our sons that are always calling him and they connect with music and hunting. I wish they would connect with gardening, but alas, my husband does not like to work with gardens. He will do it when I ask him and I am thankful for that.
How about your cousins, do you keep in touch or visit with them? Or are you lucky to have sisters and brothers you are close with and are able to visit?
As many of you know, I am writing my memoirs. it seems like I don't always write about the past, and that is what I should be doing. I usually write impulsively. Sometimes I think about what I am going to write about, and then just start writing. I don't make a draft, I do edit somewhat, don't check my grammar, but I do spell check. I don't have the patience to do the rest, if I did, I would not be writing very often. So years down the road, when my grand children's children's, children read this, they will know I was not a perfectionist.
My peers in my writers groups probably cringe when they read my work, they are all so good and precise. One of these days, when I have the time, I might just sit down and do it the correct way, but until then - this is it folks.
3 comments:
I enjoyed reading about your cousins, Dee. Sadly, we are not much in touch with our cousins either. My kids are in touch with their cousins though. I liked especially your thoughts about the technology and agree wholeheartedly.
Megan
Dee, it is important that you are writing, not how perfect your spelling, grammar looks. You write about feelings and connections, which is so much more important that the outside wrapping. You are genuine and caring, and that is so much more important and what comes through your writing. Keep Writing!!! I have cousins on both sides of my family who have information that I asked for to pass on to my grandsons and neither have shared.
Dee, KEEP WRITING. You write from the heart, and that's what matters for future generations, not perfect grammar. They will get past that. I do not have close relationships with cousins. In fact, one very nice one disappeared from contact. I have asked cousin on mother's side, who is a nun and did extensive search of geneology for many years to share. She never has done so. No one in her family has any children to pass this wonderful information to preserve. Counsin on Dad's side has info from her Mom, my very dear aunt, and said she would send me last year. Still not received. I have a distant cousin in FL who I speak with couple times a year and feel closer to than those I've mentioned.
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