So how is your day going? Mine Ewww. I did sleep in late, partly because I was up at 5 AM yesterday and worked like a machine all day. And, I stayed up late last night to watch the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Sleeping in put me behind schedule at least two hours. However, I'm determined to slow down today while the sun is shining and enjoy the pool. My gosh, can you believe it, in less than four weeks the kids go back to school. Time is flying, which brings me to my topic, gathering and visiting.
Yesterday, my DH and I had a discussion. We remember the days, way back when we were kids, when people visited. They don’t do that anymore. They gather. I remember when I was a kid Saturday night and Sundays were for visiting. It wasn’t unusually for my aunt and uncles, along with my cousins, to drop in on a Saturday night or a Sunday afternoon and soon after a party ensued. Laugther and fellowship would go on for hours. Saturday nights, we kids, would play under the stars. Sundays we'd played ball, bike, and swim, and eat whatever was thrown together at the last minute from everyone's kitchen. It was a weekly occurrence.
Now, people don’t visit simply because they don’t know if the other person or family is gathering. What I mean by gathering is, they’re off to an event, gathering with strangers. Traveling twenty or more miles is no longer a big deal. We travel twenty miles without thought. And enlarging our travel circle has opened our lives to so many events, like sporting events, movie theatres, fairs, etc. I know we’ve stopped by friend’s homes only to find them away and friends have told us the same. It seems we need to make appointments in order to spend time with friends and family.
Sometimes, I truly miss the days gone by when the world turned a little slower.
I think I’ll make some lemonade and sit on rocker on the porch today, just in case a friend comes up the drive.
I have had better days myself, however, I relish the fact that I have had wogrse ones. This could be even harder!!!
So keep on trying, it's bound to get better...
Forgot to add, I miss those big family gatherings, life is a bit more lonely without family around!
Autumn, I remember those days. I grew up in a large extended family and they usually gathered at our house. No more, that large extended family is gone now. In fact, I am now the matriarch of the family. Remembering my grandmother, great aunt, mom and aunt, I shrink at the idea of filling their shoes. It makes me sad that my grandchildren will never enjoy such gathering.
So true, Autumn. Times were much slower then and we passed the time by visiting with friends and family.
Excellent post. I totally agree with you.
Great post Autumn. I still try to gather the family and extended family at Christmas and Easter. Also I often gather--invite-- a big group of friends for dinner. It never bothers me to invite twenty to thirty people for dinner. It takes time and effort, but it's so wonderful to be with family and friends.
My family met when Mama was alive. My aunts would get together and bring my grandma to see us, all the way from Augusta. I loved those visits! Actually my folks would go to Augusta before daddy started "going down" and couldn't travel well. I miss those ladies, since only one is alive. Need to get myself to Augusta!
I love family gatherings, but you're right, back in the day people visited. Most things are changing: not one writes letters, but emails, emails and text messages are replacing phone calls. What's next?