My sister Jane and I are flying to Colorado to spend a few days in Breckenridge with our cousin Joyce, who lives in Leadville. We will be joined by Margaret, a close friend from Minneapolis.
Joyce falls between us, age-wise. Growing up across the street, she was another sister in the pack. If I had to use one word regarding her, it would be “laugh.” She laughs continuously and heartily and either astounds the listener or draws them into her hooting.
Joyce came very close to death last year, having battled an infection in her leg for many years. Jane and I decided to wait no longer to see her. Word came to us yesterday that she was at her wound doctor following a trip to the ER, underlining the importance of seeing her ASAP. A follow-up call assured as that she had received excellent care and would be able to join us. The physician, when queried regarding travel, expressed relief that Joyce would be with family.
Uh. She doesn’t know our family. The laughter could be felt through the texts as Jane and Margaret promised to prop her leg up on the bar stool every two hours, as recommended. Well, the doctor recommended the propping, not the bar stool.
I am spending more time and effort reconnecting with friends and family, even as we are losing many to disability or death. No one that I know personally will leave a legacy of world-wide import. Our greatest value is in our relationships with each other, sharing the joy of life.
If this visit is at all like the last one many years ago, I will return with a sore belly from laughing and more memories than my brain can hold. There’s nothing like cousins!