Last night, I went out with a new friend who's from a HUUUUGE family. I realised that large families have mystified me in the past somewhat. I come from a smallish family (4) that is geographically isolated from cousins, granparents, aunties, Uncles etc. Close, but small.
People from large families always have things to go to on the weekend, and it seems they can never fit you into their schedule. If you're lucky you'll see them once or twice a year, fleetingly, and everyone else will be trying to talk to them too so you end up only talking to them for a few minutes. They run away to Vegas to get married instead of having to invite 300 guests to their wedding, which is understandable (I know 2 couples from large families who have done this now!). Little old me has often thought of these busy people: "oh, they don't really want to see me, they have enough people in their life already...".
Last night I went to a lingerie* party with a new friend who has a little bub a few weeks older than E-chan and lives around the corner. She's a warm person, who seems to have a lot of friendliness to offer everyone. Party was mostly populated with her cousins or cousin's partners - turns out she has 26 cousins and three siblings. Her family christmas gatherings usually have 40 or so adults plus however many kids in attendance. I suppose what I'm realising is that if you are from a big happy family, you can just make more room for people in your life. You are accustomed to a lot of people knowing about what is going on in your life. Kind of like my parents making room for each new grandchild in their life - each of them is "gorgeous", "precious" and cuddleable.
I've never wanted a big family for various reasons, but I'm beginning to see the good bits. I'm aiming for a big family of people who aren't necessarily related to me... Lots of alternative role models for E-chan etc etc.
* ridiculously expensive despite skipping retail floor space step in supply chain, therefore didn't buy anything.
2 comments:
Every time I go to one of Little Misters family do's I leave vaguely confused as to who's who. One aunt has 8 kids and one has 6, some of them teenagers and ranging up to our age. I can never remember any of the names! It doesn't help that they all look strongly like each other as well.
Isn't that astounding? Can you imagine being pregnant 8 times? Or having all those people in your life that you see regularly whether or not you want to?
Post a Comment