I have recently begun a family tradition I have been waiting years to do. I have started hosting family gatherings at my house. My mom and sisters come over with their little ones, and I can’t help but reminisce about the family gatherings we had when I was a child. Family gatherings, do they actually make a difference?
When I was a little girl, my mom and her sisters would get together and throw a carne asada at the local park. We had a gathering like this almost every other week in the summer, and in the winter, well, we had the holidays. It was a time to see all our cousins, aunts, and uncles. Now, as an adult, I can see what an impact those gatherings had on me and my sisters.
Life is crazy and can take you through so many loops that you lose touch or time gets away from you, but now I am in a place where my family is right here, in the same city as me, and we have the time to give our kids the same experience we had. So, I took on the task and brought it to life. This week, I hosted my second family gathering, and it went off without a hitch.
If you have been following me for a while, you know I don’t cook, so I decided to order Olive Garden, family-style. One thing about me is I will always cater haha. I ended up getting the Pasta Station. It fed all 10 of us, and we had leftovers. Afterward, we played a family game with all the kids. It was a great opportunity to see where all the kids were in their growth. To check up on their mental health without being so obvious. It brought me so much peace seeing them laugh and seeing them still be able to connect with each other and with us.
It was a beautiful day out, so we all headed to the park across the street. They took their soccer ball, and we watched them. The little ones stayed close to the playground, and we watched them. Once in a while, one of them would come up and talk to us, and we would hear them out and tease them. When we got back, my mom washed the dishes for me, like she did the last time.
When the door closed behind the last visitor, I got to thinking about family gatherings, do they actually make a difference? When I was a child, I had no idea how impactful family gatherings were and how they would impact my growth. As an adult, I can confidently say family gatherings made a huge difference in my upbringing. As I continue to hold these gatherings, I hope they also have a positive impact on the kids we are raising.
Tell me about how family gatherings impacted your life. I love you. Bye.
