tribute 5

this is a collective tribute to

andrew/ethan/emma/sophie/audrey/parker/miles/annie/jack/max/sadie/mabel/oliver/stella

i was reinvigorated this week to reflect on the purpose of family, and the glue which supposedly holds that together: love. "well, duh" one says - what a trite phrase! yes, obviously love is at the centre of family. but honestly and truly, how often is this not missing in familial interactions? it's too common that families take each other for granted, because they are always there, always around, and one therefore has free reign to criticise and debase each other at leisure. people take individual stresses out on their children or partner or sibling or parent.

this is a tragedy.

my tribute to all the nieces and nephews has two meanings: because rarely have i seen more love in my life than that displayed by these wonderful children to each other and to us, "the grown-ups," but also i stand in awe so often at the amount of love those grown-ups have freely given right back to the kids. it's a marvel to watch all of them interacting, to see the grandkids laughing themselves silly in the triangle room at sundance, and to see mimi and lincoln wrestling with them for hours, and ginger playing games with andrew and ethan... to see stephanie rocking stella to sleep yet again, and katie teaching annie to sing like ariel, or elliott sledding with his kids, matthew snowboarding with them, mike building a snowman with olibo, neal exploring the ocean with audrey and parker, and leslie kissing miles every two seconds :)

i could go on with a list of moments i've remarked in the interactions between the grandkids and grown-ups, and the absolute outpouring of love on either side. i am touched beyond words by such love, and so glad that we prize patience and kindness with each other over reproaches and cruelty. the home is the scene of too much abuse and destruction, in places i am shocked to discover... what a rare thing it is to find love in the home, and what in the end could be more important?