My cousin, Stanley, passed away. My family has now experienced the awkward process of burying a loved one in this season of Covid constraints. Stanley was a great guy, and his son grieved that the literal hundreds of friends and family who would have attended to show their respects had to helplessly watch a livestream on Facebook. But watch they did.
I was humbled by being able to help with the ceremony that bid goodbye to my kind and good-humored cousin. We have the assurance that he is now in the presence of the Lord which makes it much easier for me to embrace some of the things that touch my heart during these observances.
Front and center was reconnecting with this part of my family. You see, my great-grandparents on my mom’s mom side had 13 kids. Suffice it to say I will never run out of cousins while breathing air on this earth. But this particular group of cousins are some of my favorites. They are kind and welcoming and generous and real. Some of them I hadn’t seen in years…since we were all kids. Or least a lot younger than we are now. Heck, Stanley’s son has kids that are older than he was the last time I saw him. My cousin, Lois, is exactly the opposite of me. She is so good at reaching out, at never allowing the busy-ness of life to infringe on the importance of relationships. I need to be more like her.
Drop In
My heart was full to see them all and I was somehow proud to be part of this family. It made me feel abundantly blessed at the recognition that I am related to such nice people; to be counted among them. There is new resolve that I more often need to grab my sister and drop in on these cousins unannounced and uninvited and be drenched again in the goodness God has for us. I praise Him that I am so very fortunate.
Do you have family that you feel this way about? Do you, like me, need to commit to dropping by a little more often? I would love to hear your stories at Lifting Her Voice.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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