Musings on Family and Friends

Musings on Family and Friends

I dutifully watched the inauguration and must admit that I was somewhat inspired by the large number of participants and by President Obama's speech. Since then, though, it looks like the Democrats and the Republicans are going on with business as usual, picking fights and playing revenge politics. I hope the president can control Pelosi and Reid , and that the Republicans will really try to work with the Dems. This country is in too bad a shape for us to still play this game. It makes me wonder...who are we? Why do we allow our elected officials to behave this way? Why don't we send them all back to kindergarten? We should all be seriously offended by their behaviors...but we keep on electing them. The definition of insanity: electing the same people over and over and expecting things to change.

Well, I've been thinking about our families today. I spent a couple of days with my mother this week. She's almost 85, still lives alone, and is in reasonably good health. I am the oldest of four. My sister Judy is 61; brother Charlie is 56; and sister Mary is 48. Among us we have nine children, all boys except for one. I have 2 boys, Judy has 3 boys, Charlie has 2 boys, and Mary has twins, one of each gender. I have the only grandchildren. The picture on the right is the four of us taken at Thanksgiving 2008. From left to right: Judy, Charlie, me, Mama (Mary Elaine Bird Nichols), and Mary.

Both of Jim's parents are dead, but his older sister, Lou, is still living. She is 12 years older than we are, and lives in Louisburg near her daughter, Fran Loftin. The picture on the left is of Jim and his sister, taken in the spring of 2008 at Lystra Baptist Church on the occassion of a ceremony of acceptance for a gift given to the church in memory of their mother, Lessie Young Riggsbee.

Our families have been very important to us during our lives and good relationships with our siblings continue. I often wonder what people do when they don't have siblings? How do you keep that connection when your parents are gone?

While I was writing this blog, I received notice that one of my good friends died this morning. She wasn't even 62 years old. I first met her when we lived in Goldsboro; she was a good to me and to Jim and Jon. I will write more about her later. One more reminder that we should make every day count.