MenoSundays; Life Lived Lovingly

Here in the Great Down Under Parts, everyone is celebrating Mother's Day. Not

entirely sure why it is different from the UK - but then, so is Father's Day. Doesn't really matter, the date. Only important that proper homage is given to one's parents and/or other close elders.

That said, it is also important to be kind and loving to the elders each and every day.

My own mother has been gone nearly eight years now, but she is never far from memory. Particularly on this trip, as have spent so much time with the family members I knew little of but were, essentially, her cousins.

Family trees have been a frequent matter of discussion. Connections, dis-connections, re-connections, mis-connections... all quite fascinating, confusing and, if am brutally honest (and I often am!) really not my cuppa char. It is not at all that I don't like history. It is not at all that I don't like research and making the genetic jigsaw fit together. It is not that I lack interest in roots. I simply prefer to deal with the people before me and take them as they are, whoever they are.

Family, for me at least, is what I make, not necessarily what I was born into.

Belonging has a large part to do with this. I have come to recognise that there are people and places to which I feel I belong and they are not necessarily as obvious as place of birth or the bloodlines of birth.

I joined cuzzy D on a lengthy day outing during last week, up to the place of rest for her mother, dear old Norma (who was married to my own mother's cousin James). It was quite an effort as D has even less mobility than myself. That she agreed to take public transport was a big thing. We both were flummoxed when we could not actually locate the laying place - but also decided that walking the grounds of the fabulous Northern Suburbs Memorial Park was honouring enough. We had a cup of tea at the cafe, raising our cups to Norma, then decided homage had duly been paid. The six hour round-trip was worth doing because we had a chance to reminisce and share common memories, then I also learned of things I did not previously know.

Through Norma I had met cuzzy D who, until this trip, was a virtual stranger to me. After two weeks I would say that we have formed a bond of friendship and a sense of family not directly a result of blood ties.

For this I am thankful, and offer up my Love to the mothers who connected us.