Clan

I am a family man. I love to be with family, I think families are the absolutely the foundation of a civil society. All of my original family lives in Alaska. All that remain is a sister who lives there with her family, her husband a fine provider, and Dad to her 3 children all healthy and happy. I don’t see them much. I talk to my sister on occasion and there are the obligatory birthday calls but we are not close. I love her and always want her to be happy. She has a wonderful family in Alaska and they are truly happy. I am glad. Me, it’s just my lovely wife, my son, who I write about way too much, and my precious mother-in-law.

This one is about a family I write about a lot, but they are truly more than a family. They are a Clan. Their roots run deep, from the Patriarch, Tone the Bone, right down to the upcoming Grandchild, yet to be named. This is a group that defines the word family. They are always there for each other and go out of their way to include each other in every aspect of their lives good and bad. The Eldest son, a wonderful young man, who my wife will tell you in a heartbeat, is the best looking man on the planet. But more than handsome, he is even more special on the inside. An example of his kindness, I can remember when my Mother was alive; he would come into the room and just light up, hurry over and hug her and tell her how glad he was to see her. I will never forget her telling me how special she felt every time she went to this family’s home. Another time, I needed to go pick up a truck my young son had abandoned it was 4 hours away. I simply made mention of the fact and he insisted I take his truck because it was bigger and safer than mine. What 20 something do you know that would be that concerned?

Well the Clan is on a vacation and they are all together at a wonderful beach house. The eldest has been dating this wonderful young lady for a while, we have all been hoping and praying they would marry. Well down on the coast with all of the Clan together he FINALLY asks this young lady to marry him. That is what I mean about doing things together. You will remember the story about the Grandchild, done when the entire Clan was together. To a member they are special. I am very proud to claim to be an edge member of this clan. They treat me, and mine, as if we were one of them. If the event is held in town we are almost always a part. Very Special people.

Now what makes a clan/family special? I am thinking it must be the leadership. As I think back to my youth I can remember I had a buddy whose Dad was almost as big of an influence as my own. He was out of bounds funny and really taught me a lot about doing things for yourself. I can remember whenever one of our cars, mine or my buddy, his son, would lay down he always told us we could fix it. We kept a car torn apart in their driveway from the time I was 16 until we moved out together when we were 18. He was an avid golfer shot the first 59 I had ever heard of he is still a local legend around town in the golfing circles. I can remember one time when the bathroom toilet was busted and we installed a new one. He was supervising, my buddy and I are the work crew, and his Mother, the general manager, was yelling at all of us to not get any water on the floor. Well needless to say we almost flooded the house; we still laugh about listening to my buddy’s Mom and Dad going back and forth about it. Like my folks, they are both gone now, and missed greatly. The Clan I write about here has great leaders to, the Father, a more caring man you will never find, the mother, a more loving example cannot be set. The children are walking, breathing proof of the leadership of the two people who drive this family in the direction of all things good. So all of the Clan’s I have been blessed to be a part of have had great leaders.

That brings me to another thought, where is my son’s clan? What kind of Clan leader have I been? Judging by the examples I have sited here, not the best. Then I ask, what kind of member he has been, possibly trying to hide my lack of leadership. Does he know he is missing out on some of the most special memories? He really has no friends to speak of, for reason stated in other posts, my opinion only. He doesn’t really come around my Memphis family. I invite and he comes on occasion. Where will his memories come from? He might be living a fuller live than me, I just don’t know about it I guess. Still I hope he has a clan to go to when times are tuff. It is easy, as we all know, to make it during the uptimes. It’s when you are feeling abandoned and alone that I take such great solstice in my Memphis Family/Clan.

Well congratulations to the newly engaged couple. May you be as happy in your marriage as your Mother and Father, and as I am in mine. Always remember there are great times and tuff times and always rely on your Clan to share it all with you. I know I do!

Peace,

The Blessed Man