You get to choose how to remember life gone by and those that were part of it. Your influencers. Friends. Frenemies. And those you’d never wish to think about again.
It’s not just people but also events.
Some remember like an elephant. They never forget. Most of us gloss over the past with stories that do not match the reality of the moment. Or person.
This morning, thinking it through, I choose to remember the best.
I remember the family reunions with the best intentions. As kids, they were huge. Hundreds of strangers. Hot with the summer sun blazing and the humidity high. We spent time re-learning others and making family connections. Today, I remember them as the best family gatherings, but not so much as they were back then, but how my mind chooses to recall.
Christmas celebrations. Today I see the connections when, back then, we only saw the mystery. Did I see Santa? Well, I remember thinking so. History, in my way of singing, was His Story.
Birthdays. Big events. Dozens on hand. Yes. I still have a thing or two from those times back in the single-digit years.
Time with the folks. With four siblings, I knew it was tougher on my sister because she was the only girl, but there was a special place she held in mom’s lap. She always got to sit up front while we boys argued over who got the window or the hump. Being alone, she always had her bedroom and invited a friend or cousin to join in the event. I know she got hand-me-downs, but with mostly boys in the foray, she was often on the giving end.
This morning. I remember the best of times, not the worst of times. I hope my family knows who I’m talking about. Goodbye to my cousin. Carla. So wished we had gotten together for some family dynamics before having to say goodbye. The miles and years have spread us all too thin. Though sad, I still remember the best.