Family Reunion

Of all places to become reunited with long-lost, long-forgotten relatives, a funeral service provided a great means by which I meet several aunts, uncles, and cousins on my father's side this past Thursday.

My dad's father married three times. After my grandmother died when my dad was two years old, my grandfather married two more times, hence the number of relatives we didn't know we have or had. Auntie Ada was one of those aunts from the half and step families, but she and her husband had been close to us. Her death was a sudden one and my father was adamant about attending her funeral. I've never heard my dad cry so hard.

At the tea reception following the service, I discovered that I have a cousin who's half-German, half-Chinese, a lovely combo I had fantasized being when I was a kid. I used to have halfling friends living on my block and we treated each other like siblings, so for a while I thought it was possible for me to be half-and-half, too. Now the only half-and-half I can get is in my bubble tea. Anyway, I had a nice chat with my cousin, Marco, about political science, working for the government, immigration, teaching, ethnic diversity in Canada, outspoken people in Germany (which he is, wow, can that guy talk!), and of course, my now-deceased aunt. He and I talked as if we were never going to see each other again.

I found another cousin, Justin, who just graduated from Grade 12 and I spoke to him and his girlfriend. We had a nice chat together, too, since his girlfriend was interested in becoming a teacher and both had lots of questions about what university was like. Being a teacher, I loved to help out these two kids and chat about their options and discuss their thoughts about their ambitions.

At one point my parents marveled at how much time had passed since we last saw one of my other cousins. The last time I had apparently saw him was at his wedding (I was too little to remember the event now) and now he's divorced, although his ex-wife attended the service. My family also got reconnected with two other aunts, the sisters of the one who had just passed away. Eloquent, strong in spirit, humourous, gentle, kind, generous, and outgoing: such amazing individuals. Torontonians are fortunate to have such citizens living among them.

How lovely and strange to meet family members that I probably will never see again unless another family member has passed. How bittersweet to discover new or more relatives after losing one.

May God bless the soul He's called back to Him and may He bless the ones who have graced our presence fleetingly that Thursday afternoon.