Her cup runneth over…
Summer is usually the most popular time of the year for family reunions. I don’t have a reunion scheduled this year, but many of my friends have already gone and returned, while others are busy preparing physically and mentally for their family gatherings. Some friends packed their ba gs and left reluctantly. They viewed their reunion as an obligation. It wasn’t a vacation — it was something they had to do. They fully expected to have a terrible time and they did. As one friend put it, “It’s a short trip to hell, especially when you know your destination.” I guess if we’re expecting the worst, we just may get it — partly because we have inside knowledge and past experience to guide us, and partly because we’re looking for it. Sure, I recognize the never to be completely understood and sometimes scary dynamics of “fa mily.” I also understand the philosophy behind the phrase “Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.” Nevertheless, family is family — no matter how we try to s...