For the first time in more than 20 years—near as we can figure—my mom, dad, sister, and I are alone together in my parents' house.* The last time this happened, according to Jill's recollection, was just before I left for South Dakota to marry Jodi. Jill was pregnant with my niece and goddaughter Kayla (hence the asterisk above) and couldn't travel; she recalls sitting together in the loft overlooking the great round beams of my folks' house, talking with me and giving me a old penny from her coin collection that had belonged to Grandpa Thorp. I don't recall the exact moment as clearly as she, but I have the penny still, and the timing seems right.
And now here we are again, just the four of us, talking and laughing together. Births, holidays, weddings, funerals. Decades pass like minutes. We are entirely different people than the last time, and just the same.
I'm not sure I have a point tonight, other than to commemorate this day and note the speed with which time's arrow flies, the swift fluidity of life, and the beautiful permanence of family.
Labels: family, folks, Jill, marriage, memories, Michigan