Family Gratitiude

Family Gratitude

I woke up today with two ideas etching in my brain: the push to restart my blog and the the tinkling in my fingers to write down all I'm thankful for. 

"Why not combine them?" I thought with serendipity. 

The first and last thing that filled my mind was a given: my family. Memories started flowing in...my mom sleeping in a chair next to my bed when I was in the hospital as a little girl and washing my hair as an adult after my last operation.

Dad and Linda dancing in a concert outside a hostel years ago after another operation...as well as this past month with brown leaves and swamp scenes from upstate New York whizzing by as they drive us all over, making sure my partner Armi sees enough while he's here.

All though this whilrwind trip, Armi has been willing to leave his habits aside. He has even adopted some of Dad and Linda's, like expressing gratitude before eating. The emotion gurgled up to my eyes from somewhere deeper as Armi gave his birthday speech yesterday, thanking us because he felt loved.

And suddenly I fly back to where we started out this trip in the awe inspiring Yosemite park. My brother Eric met us there to share this incredible experience that I had been looking forward to for years, as well as helping with the planning.

And my sister Mel...I often think back with tenderness to when she was a golden-curled girl, but the years have only deepened that softness during our heart to hearts and sister duets...

The family circle is the one that holds during the uplifting times and those in which we struggle. This is the foremost thing I'm thankful for.

Text: Kristen Mastromarchi

Photo: Rudy and Peter Skitterians