Reunion

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About seventeen years ago, my Grandfather died. It was just one month before my wedding and it was the last time I saw my cousins from that side of the family.

Growing up, we lived many states away from each other, but more summers than not we saw each other during their yearly treks back to visit my grandparents. I always looked forward to this time, because they made going to my grandparents house more fun.

We were close in age and interests and always got along very well. Sometimes we would get to have sleepovers and stay up late giggling and talking, usually until we wound up getting in trouble.

Ed Grimley, of SNL fame, was all the rage and we would make everyone around us nuts with our imitations, but were ourselves having a blast.

At some point in time, for reasons that our generation was never privy to, there was a falling out amongst our parents and all communication came to a screeching halt. The funeral was last time that we were together.

Now all these years later, I am living in the area where they lived while growing up. It's a small world, I tell ya. Through the magic that is Face Book in these here internetz, we found each other again. Along with the realization that we live pretty stinking close to each other.

Coming to the conclusion that whatever happened between our parents was indeed between them and didn't involve us, we should not let it prevent us from enjoying each others company and having a relationship that we have been missing out on for far too many years.

This past Monday, we did just that. The Weasels and I met up with two of my cousins and their beautiful children for lunch. I can't tell you how nice it was to see them again or how good it felt to fall immediately back into our friendship like we had never missed a beat.

We laughed, talked and giggled, only without getting in trouble this time, for we were now the grownups. All of the kids played together just like we used to do when we were kids. In short, it was really fantastic.

So on this FatherHood Friday, I leave you with this: Don't let the sins of the father, so to speak, fall upon the son. It's not just for you to ever have to live in the shadow of your parents prejudice or faults and more importantly, don't keep your children living under the shadow of yours.