My Family

Family reunions seem to be a love/hate situation for a lot of people.  Me? I love them. The people who go to the Bird/Forbes Reunion know how to cook, and the snarky hecklers in attendance always make the business meeting exciting. The Brown Reunion usually contains some form of wild entertainment, whether my Uncle Jeff convinces his sheriff buddy to show up and “question” my Aunt Kooks about her “meth lab,” my Aunt Mindy chases my mom around the park and threatens her for having given bad information that led to a hilarious yet incorrect assumption, or my Uncle Bill throws bean bags at my best friend’s head. (And those are just the things I can talk about in public.) The Henry Reunion, however, is a completely different atmosphere, and for that reason I adore it. This year was the first time I had been to the reunion in three or four years, and I am so glad I went, because by the end I thought, “This is what I want for the rest of my life.”

I want my family’s kindness. I could forget any of the negativity that has been thrown my way in recent days, weeks, and months- there was none of it here. No gossip, no sidebar conversations talking about what so-and-so did and to whom, no unnecessarily sharp words. I’ve been around these individuals long enough to know that like everyone else on the planet, they have their trials and struggles, so I know it wasn’t fake kindness trying to cover anything. No, there was genuine care and concern for ailing family members, pure joy over impending nuptials, shared happiness over important accomplishments, and thankfulness for good reports of improved health. This is the kindness that is born from an inner peace and joy, and rarely have I seen it displayed so well.

I want my family’s ambition. My great-great Aunt Stella was one of the first people in her county to own an automobile, and certainly the first woman. She did this on the salary she earned from teaching at the schoolhouse. After a few years of teaching, she went to college (Majored in Home Ec., minored in Spanish because she was interested in missions work), got married, and had a family. I feel like these are huge accomplishments for a woman in her day, but in a booklet written about her life it was mentioned that she felt like she wasn't doing anything of eternal worth- she wanted to do more. My grandpa’s cousin Bob went to school to be a veterinarian, finished, and practiced for eight years. Now, developing an allergy to cats and horses along the way probably wasn't in the plan, but it didn't matter in the end. The man got his doctorate in philosophy so he could teach at the college level.  Oh, and he still works extensively in the plasticization of animals (think those “Body” exhibits that were popular awhile back) for learning purposes, something that has literally taken him all across the world. My cousin Annie teaches English. Let me add to that- my cousin Annie teaches English to university students in China, something she’s done for years. This barely scratches the surface of the incredible things the people in my family have done.

I want my family’s faith. This is what stands out to me the most every time I visit with the Henrys. They praise God for the happy times in their lives, they rely on Him during sicknesses and death. They make a habit of encouraging the younger members to follow God in all things.  I’ll never forget going to a funeral for a family member and hearing that there would be a time of worship.  The bulletin read, “Join us in worshiping God for the life of…” Yes, there were tears, but there was so much hope and joy in that time of mourning that it really didn't seem like a time of mourning. This faith isn't just limited to the many members of the family who serve as pastors and missionaries and it isn't weak. It’s clear and evident in the lives of so many Henrys, all because each generation has taken the time to show their faith and make sure their children were introduced to God so that they could claim that faith as their own when the time came.

I want to keep writing about this family, but I’m short on the words that would adequately express the respect and admiration I have for my relatives and my pride for being part of this family; and I don’t have time to write about the humor, the hobbies, and all the other little details that make this family so special. With that said, it’s now time to get ready for family to visit my apartment this weekend. A month in the new place and I’m still only half-unpacked!