Remember When
By Roger Hypes
REMEMBER WHEN…
Family reunions were an annual event? Some family reunions are several decades happening. Remember when the protocol was having the reunion at a different farm or house each year? Usually, the “exchange” was of your grandparents; brothers and sisters (both sides of the families). Remember when everyone would get in the family car and begin the journey to what sometimes would be referred to as “the old home place.”Remember when, as children, you would gravitate to the other children in attendance? Some of these “kids” were first, second, and third cousins. The boys would chase the girls and the girls would laugh at how dumb and silly the boys were. Remember when, if there was a creek or a brook, the children would wade out in the water. If the creek was wide enough, you might even have an opportunity to ‘skip’ rocks across the water. You might even go fishing or swimming.
The ‘city’ children would want to seek out the barns, the animals, the spring house, the corn crib, the smokehouse, and any other structures that were in the country that was not familiar to them in the city. Remember how much fun it was back then. Now, if family reunions continue, we have moved the reunion place to a schoolhouse, a community center, a church fellowship building, a hotel ballroom, or a community park (hopefully with a shelter and facilities close by).
Remember when all the foodstuff for the meal came from the farms, gardens, canned goods, and freezers? The meal was a smorgasbord of the absolute best. The different dishes could win blue ribbons at the county or state fairs [roast, meatloaf, fried chicken, potato salad, deviled eggs, macaroni salad, green beans, boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn, fresh garden tomatoes, macaroni and cheese, fresh garden cucumbers, Then the table that held the desserts – cakes (chocolate, coconut, yellow or white cakes); pies (chocolate, lemon, coconut) with thick meringue tops. Now, fast forward to the 21st century – we pick up chicken, salads, desserts, drinks from the grocery stores and/or fast food restaurants.
Remember when the old photos (black and white) would be shared from the different branches of the family tree? Remember the stories of family members that fought and maybe died in the Revolutionary War, the War Between the States, World War I and World War II; the Korean War, the Vietnam War and now the Gulf War; the Iraq and Afghanistan wars?
Remember when the musicians would gather around the piano and maybe some would have a guitar and we would have a family singing.
I loved the family reunions when I was a child growing up in the 50s, 60s and continuing to my older adult years – almost 6 decades of remembrances. Through the years, I have grown to have a better understanding and realization that some of the generations have passed on leaving big voids but a lot of memories. I wish I knew then what I know now so I would have paid more attention and talked and listened more to people that I may have seen only once a year. I wish I would have stayed more in touch with the different parts of the family tree. I remember the love, the fun, the laughter, the food, the fellowship, the hugs, the kisses, the photo taking, the prizes for the ones that came the most miles, the oldest one in attendance, the recognition of different milestones of the different family members. Precious Memories, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Bless Be the Tie That Binds, If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again……………..Time is precious. Memories are forever embedded in our minds. Our family is a most long-lasting memorial to who we are. Remember when family reunions…………….