Family ties unite past, present and future

I am writing this blog from sunny Arizona where I am on vacation with my two children and "telecommuting." Prior to traveling to Arizona, our family drove to Lake Geneva, Wis., for four days. Both destinations were the focus of family reunions -�“ one on my husband’s side in Wisconsin, and the other on my side, in Phoenix.

Both reunions turned out to be truly wonderful! It felt so good to reconnect with family that we hadn’t seen for three or five years. A lot can happen in that period of time, but getting together is difficult because our families are scattered throughout the United States and even out of the country. So, we are grateful when we get the chance to spend time reflecting on the past, enjoying the present and sharing dreams of the future.

Since working at the Telegram I have seen a number of family photos come through that have four or five generations in them. I am amazed at how often the family members (generations apart) still live relatively close together �“ usually all in the state of Nebraska, and sometimes all in the same town!

My life experiences of growing up in a military family add to the “foreign” concept of setting down roots and staying in one place. Friends from my childhood came in and out of my life with the seasons, and it wasn’t until junior high school that I took friends with me from one grade into the next.

Adding to this experience is the fact that I rarely met people in Arizona who were born in that state. My best friend was born in Arizona and still lives there, but she is the only one I know who I can say that about. The majority of residents have moved there from other places, and it has become quite a melting pot of cultures and ideas. Residents in Arizona move in and out with the seasons too, as snowbirds come for the winter.

It seems the opposite is true in Nebraska; the majority of people I meet are from here or have gone off to college and returned to raise their family. It is a steady population here, and to be honest it feels a little strange. It is interesting to me how many people remain in the place where they were born and raised �“ and I think “They must really like it here!” It certainly adds to the “family feeling” that Columbus exudes.

May we all be lucky enough to enjoy the family ties that connect us to our past, anchor us in the present and support us in the future.