Having a once-in-a-month family get-together is refreshing and joyful, but most of all, it strengthens the family’s love and unity.
In this anxiety-filled and busy world, family members struggle to have a simple meal together.
Their secular jobs, school demands, never-ending household chores, and busy lifestyles force them to have an individualized kind of living; day in, day out, it’s all work and work, eating fast food before coming home to rest.
Did you notice that most of the family members, as years go by, are spread out, sometimes pressured to live in some places because of work demands, having their own families, and their desire to live independently away from their parents?
As years go by, family members grow in number and become so distant from one another that they don’t even know how they are related. First cousins, second cousins, and other extended family members become strangers.
Making this monthly gathering a tradition, in the long run, this family get-together is a good way to reconnect with extended family members.
A few months back, I initiated to have a once-a-month family gathering.
I asked them beforehand for their availability to ensure my children and grandchildren could attend our get-together. We could do it after their work, and then I could get their answer.
There is no need to coerce them because the very spirit of the affair is to enjoy their free time with the rest of the family members. The beauty of this arrangement is that it’s a potluck thing; everyone is free to bring in anything, and this way, the host—the parents—is not burdened with so many preparations.
It’s important to delegate some tasks in preparing this reunion to family members, making it a real family affair. As they used to say, more hands lighten the work.
We can prepare simple meals, and the dishes need not be so elaborate, so everyone is free to chat and play games; at least in a few hours, we could wean them away from tinkering with their cellphones and concentrate on the party.
While enjoying their meal, everyone is free to share whatever problems they face in school work or some encouraging experiences they might have had while living in this chaotic world.
At our last family get-together, we bought two large pizzas, ready-to-eat shrimp, newly baked muffins and cold drinks. While munching their food, they were teasing, chatting, and telling stories, and later they played with boggles.
During the party, one of my grandchildren made calls on my youngest daughter, who lives in Ohio; she was making arrangements for her forthcoming visit there. My other two grandchildren and their aunt shared their travel plans in the coming days.
I suggest offering gifts to my children and grandchildren to add more vibes and excitement to this gathering.
Making this once-in-a-month gathering a family tradition will undoubtedly strengthen the family bond; this kind of closeness is what we need in times of crisis and facing life’s hardships because the first people who could come to our aid are our family members.
As the proverb says, blood is thicker than water, so family bond is more vital than kind of relationships so come what may, these family members will always find a way to close ranks and extend help to any one of them.