A Family Reunion – A Coming Home

Last week I had the experience of gathering with my paternal family for a reunion.  It was my dad’s two brothers and their families with about 60 of us coming together.  We hadn’t really gathered as a group for at least 20 years – maybe longer.  The gathering seemed significant. My dad is 80 years old now, so perhaps it was just the realization of the time that had so quickly passed since we had come together. Or perhaps, it was the realization of how much our moments really do matter as we stepped into living the moments fully during the gathering. 

One of the neatest parts about us coming together was found in the process of reacquainting ourselves with our cousins and their children. It seemed that there was no baggage being carried into the relationships.  We hadn’t seen each other for 20 years.  There were no grudges being carried, no judgments being made of each other, no preordained opinions of what someone should be or not being doing.  It was the sharing of ourselves, who we are, connecting, and a sense of total acceptance and love.  I found myself easily and joyfully stepping into my authentic self. It felt "safe" to share who I was. And with that came a sense of joy and love that was given and mirrored back.  It was definitely the most fun time I had experienced in a long time. I felt like I had come home. Perhaps it was because I was with my Pfeifer “peeps”.  Or perhaps it was because of the loving environment that allowed the true sharing of ourselves with each other. Regardless of why, it was one sacred moment after another all weekend long. I have to think this is how it will be when we transition from this life  - an experience of total acceptance and love, a full embracing of our authentic self - a coming home - finding and being with our people!