Cousins

I realize how much I love having a large extended family. I went to visit my mother’s cousin over the weekend. I’m not sure what level cousin he is to me, but he and his wife gave us a wonderful time, of amazing food, stories and Catholic Mass. The connection was tangible; though years, miles, and experiences separated us, the relationship of shared blood was immediate. I love that I know my thirty cousins and my cousin’s children. We share each other’s accomplishments and joy. We also are there when grief and sadness enter and we bring food and our presence for we have known each other a lifetime. Their sadness is ours.