Mellowed With Age

Today was the day that I spend most of my year dreading. The day when most of my family descends on my house to celebrate the season and the many blessings that have come into our lives. This year was destined to be a little bit different than every other year as it is one of the first years that my Uncle Keith has been absent, and the first year that his absence was not due to work. He passed away over the summer and I'm just coming to realize how much I miss him.

That being said, today was not the train wreck that I had imagined it to be. True there were some awkward questions from one cousin about if I was involved with anyone and if I wanted to be. Spilling my guts and all the complications in my life to a 9 year old boy would probably not be the best idea, so I attempted to extricate myself from the situation and I think that I did a decent job of it. For this year at least.

Other than that, the family was remarkably calm from what I've grown accustomed to in the past 19 years of my life. There was limited yelling and screaming and I only attempted to kill one of my cousins after he shot me in the butt with a stale marshmallow. It was an entertaining chase though!

The one major thing I seem to have learned about family is that they are a drink that is best taken with some aging (which leads to mellowing) and a strong shot of experience. The love makes the drink go down a little bit smoother past the catch in your throat, and at the end of the day, you have to be thankful for a loving family who is willing to make the trek to your house in order to celebrate.

I'm not sure if the mellowing has come from me or my cousins, but has undeniably made this Christmas season ten times easier. It also makes time for presents a lot easier. I have to admit that two years ago I wouldn't have been quite as thrilled with bee hives for a third world country as I am now.

Maybe it is all the growing up that I have done in the past year, and maybe it is simply the fact that my cousins are indeed getting older and they are also growing up, although I have to admit that thought frightens me a little. Whichever way it has worked out, it is nice to know that all things tend to mellow a little with age.