Doctor Grandma

I am thinking this morning, of family. What does it mean, exactly. What does it mean to a family that was never really close, or were close so long ago it is hard to remember?

I think it means, connections. Mannerisms shared that you don’t even realize. Genetics and traits. Words and phrases passed on that you never consciously chose. Closeness in a way that is unexplainable.

It means who you are, in ways that no one else can pass on to you. Ancestors shared, memories mapped onto your DNA molecules, grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-great grandparents traveling from somewhere to here, in you and yours. Life stories of hardships, immigrant status, and a sense of belonging. It means cousins, aunts and uncles, and their stories as well.

Even if you don’t know their stories, and don’t remember who they are, even if you DO know who they are and never liked them, they are there, a part of your history, a part of your own self, whoever you are.

This entry was posted on March 14, 2010 at 8:56 am and is filed under Family. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.