Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Family

My son traveled yesterday evening abroad. It was awkward saying "goodbye", as how can you pack a whole year's worth of love and concern in a phrase or two?
We are lucky to live n a time when someone traveling usually does not mean "goodbye" forever. Once, not so long ago, if a child traveled abroad to study, to marry, one expected to never see them again. Today not only will we see them again (in all probability), but we are even able to communicate instantaneously with them by phone and/or email.
I myself am a bit bad about connections. My married sons say that I don't call enough, and their in-laws have probably given up on me. So maybe I need (and perhaps some of you as well) a reminder of how important family bonds are.
Family, ideally, should not only be those who care about you, but also those who care enough to lovingly call "foul" if you are really off-track. They are the ones who will laugh when you remind them about the time you left the sugar out of the cake, and who remember what type of wine you like to drink on Purim. They even know how old you REALLY are (but wouldn't tell).

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