I Long to see my Family Reunited

My dear mother spent her lifetime building relationships and cementing the bonds among our immediate family members. She extended these efforts to bring the family closer to our entire nuclear family unto generations deep and wide. Every major family event was shared by smaller groups or larger family group gatherings. Emotional and physical bonds strengthened the family due to this tribal life style. Reunions were a life style rather than a special event. Weddings, births and deaths were various types of life celebrations that involved the extended nuclear family.

If someone in the family was having a baby, my parents, my siblings and I went out of our way to notify every relative we could remember. We made checklists to make sure we wouldn't miss any one then we took turns making the phone calls or sending the cards and letters. It was an all encompassing family experience that embedded a sharing desire deep within me.

I long for that today because with my parents and grand-parents, it has virtually gone to the spirit world with them. I want to encourage my family to come together again so our children and grand children will have those family ties and strong bonds that molded us into the tribal culture we were in those days.

Our spiritual and social growth as a family gave us the strengths in moral character to become loving people in society as a whole. We cared so we contributed to life around us in our communities. We gave of our time, our love, our energy and our money. We taught our neighbors to care about one another. It was/is a powerful life force that motivated me to have joy, to feel love, to process grief and pain and to heal over insurmountable odds. I am on a quest to return to that place in the heart, for my family and my world.

Once a month, I will post an update on our progress uniting as a family. Meet me here in April when spring is in full swing and see what family ties are strengthened, which family connections are made new and how many family events we have planned. This will be an exciting adventure. I'll call this monthly feature, Suzanne's Desire to Unite Her Family. That is my mother and her dying wish was that our family would get close again and stay together like when she was a young mother. This is for you Mom. I love you.

The Midnight Writer

Being Alive in These Times

Much of my private ponderings are in the area of life itself, first in the basic area concerning self, spouse, family, children and grandchildren. Often though, my thoughts turn deeply to the state of this world. Being alive in these times really invokes deep thought and pondering into the actual survival techniques it takes to be in this world.

Many people probably do not give much thought to the daily movements of living. Small tasks like showering, brushing your teeth, styling your hair, getting dressed, eating breakfast, going to work, driving your car are just ordinary every parts of life that are probably taken for granted, unless and until you are unable to perform those daily tasks with ease.

Consider the possibility of not living in a house, but living in a vehicle, or a motor home, or a tent or on the streets. How would that change the way those tasks are performed in your life? How would that change the perception of your daily life, or your life in general?

One thing is certain, a homeless person on the street has to put forth a lot more effort to do even one of these basic life functions. Much time is consumed taking care of daily necessities for survival. Perception changes and suddenly life becomes the most basic struggle for survival.

The next time you see someone living on the street, ask your self if they may have eaten breakfast yet, or if they slept some place warm. Do you they have a comb and a toothbrush for basic hygiene? The next time you get in your vehicle to drive to work, look for someone walking carrying a heavy pack and consider for a moment offering that person a ride, and think about how much it might change that person's perspective on daily life, as well as yours.

I have many thoughts in this area to share. Right now, I am sitting in McDonald's using the free wifi in Alexandria, Virginia. My husband and I came here two weeks ago for an appointment with the Undersecretary of Agriculture Mark Rey regarding free assembly. We broke down and now are part of the scene of the streets, trying to re-learn how to live our daily life in these times.

The Midnight Writer