Patching the Past

Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting my cousin Susan and her husband, Walter (previously mentioned a few posts ago) for lunch. What fun it was to be able to see her again after so many years. As we talked, I couldn't help but let my mind wander to when we were young girls and how different we were from each other, or so I thought. She was very lively and played with her brothers and the other boy cousins having fun while I was the quiet shy miss prissy sitting under the shade tree. What I didn't know then that I do now is how similar we were in how we viewed the individual family members and the importance of remembering the small details. As Susan and I have been revisiting the past, we have found we have a connection that is unique. We came away from our childhood with a love of the history of our heritage and hunger for more information. It has been frustrating for us that the remaining generation before us seems to have so little knowledge or remembrances of those who have since passed on. We are the next generation to pass on the information. I am now the eldest of the blood line for dad's maternal side of the family and the only one of my grandmother's grandchildren left that has any memories of her. With each generation the stories become fewer, they fade away just as our childhood fades away. Nevertheless, whether we recongize it or not, our lives are woven together by the generations of time. The results if preserved, are a beautiful patchwork quilt of people, experiences and memories that are rich with various shades of color. Some bright lively shades and other quieter muted hues. When we choose to look closely, we can find the common bond and see the stitches that hold us all together. I am grateful that Susan and I have found that our individual patches that have been woven are closer together than we ever would have thought and have balanced out each other. The thread which stitches us together is strong and I believe will hold over time adding strength and richness to the family quilt.