Will the circle be unbroken?

Yup. Some of us are trying to get there ahead of the rest, though.

I had two family reunions this weekend. I got to the one with the Northern Cousins and found my dear Uncle G had hit a tree the night before.

He and his wife, my Aunt K, had been a true love and he lost her when I was in my twenties. I called on him for help getting through the dark place when the mate died because I knew he would understand where I was standing.

I don't know the whole story of the wreck but he was banged up pretty good. I took him some food from the party and tried to tell him how much he means to me. With Dad gone he is the closest thing I have to a man like Dad. They were blood brother/cousins. We call him uncle for courtesy.

Two of the 13 kids my great grampa had were there. Our Elders. I played old songs and sang with them. There was always music at our gatherings.

I caught up with the girl I met last year that is 15 now and still having troubles. We talked a long time. I hope I helped either of them.

Later Uncle G joined us, hiding his sore ribs and arms under a long sleeved shirt and bearing the stiffness and pain like we are told a man should. I whispered to him he was a great fake and asked if he needed some asprin...he laughed and turned them down.

His brothers I hadn't seen in years and years came and it made me feel the love we had when I was young at these events. Those gone were recalled and stories told while the younger ones listened and laughed with us.

It was a long drive to get there and long to go home again but for me it was part of the fun of the day. I stopped to visit a friend and met some of his friends from his church. It cheered us both to visit and I got to talk with people with hearts that care. How great!

Today's bunch is really my step dad's family but his mom has been so good to us kids I went out of respect. I really wanted to stay home and study and read and pray. But I got around and went anyway.

The sis was there and we ran a white elephant auction for everyone. It was fun. We sold everything.

I walked by the river and meditated on the state of my heart and how much the sound of moving water touches me. I watched a boy learning to fish and his mom. He and I talked awhile. I heard another boy play his guitar, a next gen musician, and sang along then took a turn for one.

I saw tiny pink flowers, cat nip in bloom, tiny purple flowers, butterflies and some bees swarmed around a swing set with one small child playing on it. Several adults went to her rescue and she was not hurt.

There was more food than we could eat and it was all good. There was more love there than I can say. At both there was laughter and hugs and we learned about what the rest are going through this year. We got caught up.

We need to gather together and share and teach and create these memories, even if only once a year. We share the love that birthed us and the knowledge of our histories and make more stories for the next ones to tell when we are not there for them.

We need to be caught up together and remember we are not alone. Even if we are only friends on the telephone, it's a touch of life and love. A sharing of thoughts is always a goodness.

So with all the past history and hurts and fights of family I still claim every one of them and they still claim me.

Love the ones you have today and when you have to leave let them know you are glad for the time they spent with you. Give them a hug before you go.

Love and time are all we have to share that is really ours here. Be generous with both when you can. When you can't reach out to be there and touch them with your love you can always hold them close to you in your heart and send it with your prayers.

Prayer for me is becoming thoughts of love spoken in my heart for those I can't be with each day. The ones that are here I can share my love with myself. The rest I have to send it through my prayers.

Just a little ramble through my thoughts today. But Love is what draws us to each other, no matter where we stray. We all walk together when we love.