Family Reunion, 2009

“Living this life has its problems,

So I think that I’ll give it a break.

Oh, I’m going back to the family…

`cos I’ve had about all I can take.”

--Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull from “Back To The Family” from the album Stand Up, 1971.

We had a nice weekend in Sandwich, Illinois at Cousin Jason’s house. This was my Mom’s side of the family from Illinois’ Reunion. Jason and his wife Stephanie hosted the event.

I caught up with my twin Cousins Jason and Eric. I also chatted with their Mom, my Aunt Kathy and her husband Jeff, and two of their other children Ally and Nick. I met Jason’s and Eric’s sons and daughters. Uncle Dan (from Normal) and Aunt Dar were there, as they brought up Aunt Judy from Florida. It is always nice to see Dan and Dar and their sons, my cousin Danny (who I share a bond of teaching , music, and beer with) and Jeff, who brought his girlfriend, Dove.

Karen and Bud were there with Angela and Fred and of course, little Kaleb stole the show on cuteness alone.

Jen and I had fun as she mingled and met people she had not known before. Everyone was very welcoming towards her, which I greatly respect and appreciate.

Jason perfectly cooked a filet tenderloin on the grll and beer can chicken. We played bago--horseshoe type of game with Chicago Bears design and bean bags. All chatted and talked, and carried on.

Nice to see family. Jason told me that the last time we were all together was at Grandma’s funeral and we did not need more of those. Then he joked on my condition after the stroke.

It was also nice to see everyone was doing financially well and maintaining a sense of balance in family and business life. Grandma and Grandpa would have been proud.

The older I get, the more time slips past. I remember when the twins were little kids. I remember my first Communion and Aunt Judy giving me a transistor radio and the first song I heard was Heart of Gold by Neil Young on it, playing WLS. I remember the stuffed Winnie The Pooh that Aunt Judy gave me for my third birthday, as she told me it was the only thing I ever told her that I really wanted. I remember hanging out with my Aunt Kathy in the 1960s as she was funny and loved us kids. Of course I see Uncle Dan, aunt Dar, and Danny quite often, and I am glad they have always been supportive and welcomed me into their lives. And I still contend, Dan is a hero who saved my life.

When I see these good folks, I think back to the 1960s and 1970s. The memories flood back, and usually only the good memories return. I have no ill will towards any of these good people and we all share a common bond of fellowship, respect, decency, and lineage. In this day and age of the breakdown of families, it is nice to see people who still wish to get together once in a while and share their past and build on their future.

I know I will everyone again at my wedding in October of 2010. I also hope I see more of my family before then. We are all good people who ultimately care about one another.

Reflections Of, The Way Life Used To Be...

“So many faces in and out of my life, some will last
Some will just be now and then.
Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes;
I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again.

Moving on is a chance you take anytime
You try to stay together (Whoa).
Say a word out of line, you'll find that the friends
You had are gone, forever, forever.”

--Billy Joel, from the song “Say Goodbye to Hollywood,” from the album Songs In The Attic, 1980.

I have lately felt like I have a bit of a wanton spirit. I am not sure why, but perhaps the stroke (and its aftermath and doctor visits) and being home for so long has made me feel somewhat nostalgic for my friends from my past. Lots of things have changed in my milieu lo these past three months.

Perhaps joining Facebook was a cause, as I see familiar faces from a time that was so much simpler and my life was so much less reliable on responsible behavior. Gas money was paid for, I had no mortgage, and food was free. My biggest worries revolved around what to wear, where to meet the friends, who to date, and what jokes to make.

With the times, values change, as we grow older. In three years I will have my thirtieth high school reunion. I will be almost fifty for goodness sake.

It is the curse, I think, of the history teacher. We, as Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull sang, “are living in the past…” and somewhere along the line, we want our youth back. I believe in my personal life of looking to the future.

I have a wonderful life ahead with Jen, I have a firm foundation in the past, and I have lived through some truly miraculous medical events. It scared me as well as made me appreciate people, places, events, cats, and things. So in my journey of the mind, my doctors warned me that boredom might set in and sometimes we are our own worst enemy. It is true, as I have reflected during this time off, I wonder how I will handle retirement. I think I may be bored, so I have to start writing my book, so I can write a few sequels along the way by then.

During my hiatus from teaching, I have fallen into some routines. I stir up the comments section of my local papers by supporting Obama and bashing the right wing; it is soooo fun. I watch Judge Judy and Keith Olberman as often as I can when I am home. I see Jen when she is not working at one of her two jobs. I read old comics. I prepare for next year’s classes, and I probably bug the crap out of old friends and current ones, talking on the phone and emails and the like.

So if I have bugged you, consider an emotional residual affect of the stroke, not my being my usual insecure and bored self. Thanks for understanding. Personally, I think I am having a middle-aged crisis. I wonder if I should go buy a Porsche or something?

Anyhow, every doctor has said the “wanton spirit” will go away once I start working in the five or six weeks when school begins. In the meantime, I will try to remain focus.

I sought and found some refuge in the Book of Psalms in the Bible. Among my favorite thoughts or teachings, if you will, and a path that I would like to live by is from Psalm 106, verse Three: “Blessed are they who maintain justice, who consistently do what is right.” I guess I am resigned to the idea that I need balance and I will be more fair and more even-handed in my future.

The picture above is of two of my closest friends and two guys I have known as coworkers, but with all respect I can afford, I call TRUE EDUCATORS. Milt on the left, Mike in the center, and me from Mike’s son’s wedding last weekend. The three of us have shared many laughs, a few tears, great respect, and a sense of purpose for each other. These are the guys who have saved my sanity at work on more than a few occasions. I hope they can say the same of me. Milt’s retired, Mike announced he will be parting to retirement in four years, and I have about thirteen. “So many faces in and out of my life, some will last, some will just be now and then,” indeed.