The Fourth of July is significant because it commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in July 4th, 1776 and declared our independence from Great Britain. Most Family and friends usually celebrate the 4th of July at ceremonies, festivals, events, on vacations, at reunions and of course with the traditional barbecue. My family was no different, and the beauty of a family barbecue is that it can move around from one place to another, with the importance of the requisite fired-up grill, the savory meats, delectable side dishes and of course scrumptious desserts.
The day after the barbecue, I received a short, but emotional note from my adult daughter, tearfully apologizing for a very small incident at the barbecue. I thought about the incident, took notice, but it was irrelevant because there were so many other important things happening there.
I replied with the following:
Dear Daughter: Whenever we get together with family, nothing else matters except for the beauty of seeing everyone together. You may not realize this, but whenever family gets together, it is indelibly stamped in our memories forever. Twenty years from now, Steffi (my granddaughter) will be telling her kids, 'I remember one year at our family's barbecue, and my daddy burned most of the meat and threw water balloons at us.'
We take the good with the bad, the serious with the silliness; it all makes for memories that are a part of our lives. Thank you so much for getting our family together. It is very important for everyone. Yesterday was the first time I saw my newborn youngest niece, and met my adult niece's boyfriend, whom I know she is very fond of. He and I had a very pleasant conversation, and I found out he is from Brooklyn. I like him. Your mother-in-law finally met your Aunt Silvia for the first time, and that meeting was special because Silvia is like my sister. Silvia also beat me at double 12 dominoes, after I taught her how to play them, so now she has bragging rights.
Silvia and I had a good laugh when a little boy walked outside with a batman costume on, and we both hoped it wasn't either her grandson or mine. You were responsible for putting all that together; the smiles, the laughter, and the camaraderie. That is what I took away from the barbecue yesterday. Forget about the mishaps and cherish the memories.
Love you always, Mommy
