First Family

Family - as in all relationship - requires effort, trust, communication, and love. As I think of the effort I have put into my family, I realize that it is divided into parts:  My parents and siblings, my children and grandchildren, my nieces and nephews and my cousins and more cousins.

I placed the parts in an order although it is somewhat chronological and not necessarily an order of importance or focus.  You see, each part requires effort, trust, communication, and love.  But all parts do not receive those things equally...at least, I don't feel like I give or receive what is necessary all the time.   As I think more about this, I guess we all give and take what we need from all of our relationships.  It is when we stop giving or stop communicating that we stop growing.

Today I'm going to be thinking about all of the parts of my family and how I can show my love for them by communicating better.  Whether it's a card or letter, a prayer or a song, or just giving my time.  I miss my Grandma Grote and the time we spent with her on Sundays after Mass.  I miss my mom and parties she would host to help encourage family relationship.  I think of all seven of my siblings who have their own parts to their family.  I pray that we continue to value our first family.