Family Ties

In my family, birthdays are big! Every birthday is a occasion to have a party with lots of family, food, cake and picture-taking. And I wouldn't have it any other way! Getting together with family to celebrate each other's birthday is the perfect celebration. I love the inter-generational interaction. Sometimes I sit back and look over those who are gathered. I enjoy watching my newly-married nieces talking to older aunts and younger cousins. Young nephews and sons play games and get teased by uncles and older cousins. Young and old, we are all related and we learn from each other. We are safe in the unconditional love that we have for each other. Sometimes it amazes me how diverse we are. We are all so alike and yet so different from each other. My boys' birthdays are in the summer and our birthday parties are often outside. Today, we celebrated one of those birthdays - with family, of course! I believe the best gift we can give our children is a sense of family. I hope my children have benefited from a close extended family and that they, and their cousins, will carry on the the tradition of the big family gatherings. Families who celebrate together, support each other and create special moments for their children . . . it's a good thing!