And So It Begins

And so it begins the endless montage of words amid hugs and kisses, struggling to express untethered euphoric blisses, the joy, the laughter, the fully embraced elation in attendance at the family celebrations. A reunion of bloodlines stretched recalling memories old and blessed for our ninety-six-year-old friend knowing and accepting he is near life's end gladdened familiar exhilaration visible on their aging faces. The food was good, maybe just so-so but the gathering was better than we could know cousins, great-grandchildren nieces, nephews abound distant loved ones from out of town counting connecting kinships to astound. In this twenty-first century of dispersed family we reconnect remembering individual humanity where bonds were once too easily broken mother daughter, father-son, sister brother words misspoken and for a moment fleeting as it might be the healing possibilities exist and so it begins. for Line Gauthier's contest And so it begins 2/12/19