My family is such an eclectic group.
When I was growing up I envisioned what my family would be like. We would do the same things, like the same stuff, listen to the same music, never fight and always be happy. It sounds very unrealistic and boring now.
We are so much bigger and bolder than I ever imagined.
We are also opposites in so many ways as we travel through life's journey:
In and out of healthy eating and physical activity.
In and out ( heaven) of this world.
In and out of the LDS church.
In and out of the closet.
In and out of each other’s lives.
I choose to just embrace it all. It’s healthier this way for all of us. My family does not need fixing. They just need loving.
Here's what I've learned:
Just let people be people. They are going to be themselves anyway without my permission. I just look on my family with fascination and amazement.
Everyone gets to feel however they choose to feel. If they want to be upset, offended, or hurt...that's okay. I just love them, and let them be them. I don't need to mirror those emotions.
We are all just a bunch of humans doing the best we know how.
We can all learn to be amused instead of annoyed. Fascinated instead of upset. Curious instead of irritated. Compassionate instead of judgmental. And we can all give a generous benefit of the doubt to each other and just be in love with all these crazy people we are related to.
I understand why my parents wanted us all to come, at least for a bit, to Bear Lake. Spending family time together in the same space for a few days is totally different than coming to my home on a Sunday for a few hours once a month, sending texts or talking over FaceTime.
There's something great about just sitting under the same tent with family looking out on a gorgeous lake as the clouds float by.
There's something blissful about waking up in same the space with grand kids.
There's something encouraging about watching my own kids, nieces and nephews parent their kids.
There's something comforting about embracing this new stage of life for me and my siblings as 50+ year olds. We are in charge yet we aren't.
I'm in a new position as I grow older where I get to hold and help and love on and pump some positivity into my littles. I don't need to discipline and change diapers anymore. (Unless I want to)
I am so grateful for all of this.
