My family almost never has a Christmas celebration on December 25. This year's celebration was yesterday--scheduled without noticing the fact that it was the winter solstice, so that was a neat coincidence. While my brothers, their wives, and I have exchanged plenty of e-mails this year, yesterday was the first time we'd all been together in over a year. Given the wee touch of rancor in our dealings recently, I wasn't sure if I should look forward to it or not. But we--along with a couple other family members & friends--had a fun time together.
The preceding doesn't mean we didn't needle each other any. Though I wasn't consciously out to hurt anyone, I realize afterwards that some of my comments drew a bit of blood. One of my brothers was at least partly consciously trying to get some jabs in; and though the other one may not have been conscious of what he was doing, he was doing the same things too. Yet it isn't fair of me to focus on the pricking and poking among us, because again, we did have fun. It was a good meal, (mostly) good conversation (wherein I learned that even my distant relatives are geeks), and I got still more food to bring home with me.
It's interesting to get an outsider's perspective sometimes. Even when my family is at each others' throats (or seeming to gang up on me in my most vulnerable moments), we still love each other. Some of our visitors can't say that much for their families. So for now, I am grateful.
Note: You folks reading should be grateful the computer wasn't on earlier when I wrote a long babbling screed about individuality and unity and quantum physics. I might have posted the thing--and you best believe me when I say it wouldn't have been pretty.
The preceding doesn't mean we didn't needle each other any. Though I wasn't consciously out to hurt anyone, I realize afterwards that some of my comments drew a bit of blood. One of my brothers was at least partly consciously trying to get some jabs in; and though the other one may not have been conscious of what he was doing, he was doing the same things too. Yet it isn't fair of me to focus on the pricking and poking among us, because again, we did have fun. It was a good meal, (mostly) good conversation (wherein I learned that even my distant relatives are geeks), and I got still more food to bring home with me.
It's interesting to get an outsider's perspective sometimes. Even when my family is at each others' throats (or seeming to gang up on me in my most vulnerable moments), we still love each other. Some of our visitors can't say that much for their families. So for now, I am grateful.
Note: You folks reading should be grateful the computer wasn't on earlier when I wrote a long babbling screed about individuality and unity and quantum physics. I might have posted the thing--and you best believe me when I say it wouldn't have been pretty.
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