If I could bring back anyone in my life, it would be my maternal grandparents and my uncle on my mother’s side. My grandfather passed away when I was four, and my grandmother passed away when I was fourteen. I did not get to know her very well, though, because she suffered from Parkinson’s disease during the times I remember her. My uncle passed away only a couple months before my grandmother, so, suffice it to say, it was a very difficult and emotional year for my mother! I am sad that I did not get to know this part of my family, because my immediate family is very small. I am an only child, with no first cousins, and only one grandparent who is still alive (whom I have yet to meet, we don’t live on the same continent). I love to think about how I would be different if I got to spend more time with them, got to know them better, and learned what lessons I am sure they would have taught me. I am especially sad, thinking about this, because my husband’s family is slightly different. He still has three living grandparents, an older bother, countless aunts, uncles, and first cousins.
One of the main reasons I would bring them back would be for my mom, who misses them so very much, everyday. But, I do try and stay positive now, especially since I have an adorable, darling son, who turned 2 last month. He is the luckiest because he still has all four of his adoring, doting grandparents in his life to love and support him. On top of that, he has 4 great grandparents, and an uncle. But there always seems to be a downside to every situation in life, and that is that we live just under 400 miles from my family and my in-laws. My hope is that in the (very near) future, we move closer to our families and my son, and any other children we may be blessed with, get to know, love, spend many weekends and nights with his (or their) extended family for as long as time allows.
Although our time together was short, I am always thinking about my those in my family who are no longer with me, and find comfort in knowing that we will meet again. That is why I try to remind myself, and my readers: cherish life and the time you have with your loved ones.
