The Greatest Gift

Had a little shin-dig at our house last night to celebrate my oldest son's and my older (MUCH OLDER) sister's birthday. Grilled out hot dogs and hamburgers, and had several cold ones. As I looked out my back window, I saw my kids, my nephews, their girlfriends and my three pooches. They were all sitting at my patio table talking and laughing...(well the dogs weren't actually talking, but they looked happy). It filled my heart with joy to see these kids that have grown up together...still together and enjoying being with family and friends. It seems like yesterday that they were all little squirts. How does time fly by so very quickly? They are all young adults now, making their way down the highway of life and moving further and further away from the nest that I wish I could keep them in. I don't know what I would do without any of them, and love every one of them more than words or emotions could ever express. To see a new generation of family coming of age is an awe inspiring thing to me. After my mother died, the family just kind of dwindled down to almost nothing. Then as my siblings and I married, began to have kids of our own ; the family began to grow again. It saddens me that neither my mother nor my father is here to see their grandchildren make their way in life, or to be able to let my kids see what wonderful people my parents were. All they have to rely on are my many memories of them that I have shared with each and every one of them. They knew my dad, but he was taken from them way too soon for my liking. Unfortunately, we don't get much say in the way life goes... and all too often don't cherish the time we have together. I love my family so much that it is an actual ache that I can feel when I look at them all together, laughing and loving as they do SO wonderfully. I have had much tragedy and heartache in my life... but I have also been blessed with the marvelous gift of watching my kids, nieces and nephews growing up together, turning into fine young people, and making my heart sing like a bird every day of my life. I take absolutely NOTHING for granted in my life...ESPECIALLY family. I am proud of all my kids, and hope that they are proud of me as well. Hopefully I will live long enough to see them all succeed as I know they will, and bring a next generation into the family tree. Family is a blessing that you JUST can't take for granted. It is a blessing that needs to be appreciated and fed with love and care to be able to survive and grow. Tell someone you love that "You love them," as often as you can. Life doesn't leave much room for regrets... and once it becomes a regret... there is little you can do about it. Always keep in mind that "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." Make that your daily creed, and make the most of every day you have on this Earth. Time is literally flying by faster than any of us wants to admit... Take the time to make it important; and savor every moment, every experience and every facet of this wonderful blessing of family and friendship that God so amazingly gave us. If you don't... You will regret it beyond belief, and may possibly never have another chance to hold someone, kiss someone or tell them you love them. My family is my life..they make me happy, sometimes angry...but ALWAYS proud, and impressed at the wonderful way they have grown and flourished like a perfect red rose, a beautiful sunset or a stupendous full Harvest moon. Be sure to take the time to smell that rose, or enjoy that sunset or moon... you can never know when it may be the last one. Till next time..COTTON