Who's On First??

It was a really cold and rainy day in Ottawa today. Actually, it was exactly the kind of day that I was hoping for...where there is no place better than being under the covers with a good book and interrum naps!!

I was especially pleased today because, for many months now, I've been meaning to scan a bunch of childhood pictures that I found and wanted to add to our digital collection. I had so much fun going through all of them and remembering my days back in London when all of us kids were so little. I found myself laughing out loud at many of the photographs (and wondering how I let anyone do that to my hair!!!).

One of the funnest things about my afternoon project was noticing that almost all of my best childhood memories include one person...my uncle Victor!!!

As I was going through some pictures, I just couldn't help but laugh at so many of the funny things that we did together when I was growing up. In turn, I also remembered some of my hardest times that I went through, and again, he was the one that was taking me out for ice cream or bringing me home after having run away.

My Uncle Victor and I have always had a particularly close relationship and looking back, I think a big part of the reason that I value family and connectedness so much is because of him. I would have to say though that my uncle and I have always been friends before anything else. That is what I think makes us so unique. I can tell my uncle anything and there is huge level of respect between us that has enabled us to share a great deal of trust and honesty.

For as long as I can remember, my uncle and I have always been together. I had the priviledge of always living nearby and much of my childhood (and most hockey seasons!!) were spent with his family. As he started to have children, we just became a bigger family that had that much more to share.

I don't think that it ever occured to my uncle and I that one day, marriage, school, children and life would one day get in our way. Over time, our relationship became something that was only reflected on during the holidays or when one of us was passing through town. It's always sad to acknowledge but, it is reality sometimes and often, we unintentionally take those relationships for granted and assume that they will just always be there.

About a month ago, my uncle and I found ourselves with some time to visit again, just the two of us (which was the first time in a long time)...and as we seemed to pick up right where we left off so many years back, we suddenly realized that we had let go of the miracle that is that kind of relationship. We had stopped putting the effort into it and in turn, missed so much about each other. My uncle and I were the best of friends and, fortunately for us, were able to recognize our mistake before it was too late but, how many times to we just let life get in the way of our most important blessings...each other?? We get bogged down with our day to day worries and so often, forget to reach out to those that bring us perspective.

When I was looking through my pictures, I couldn't help but wonder how different my life would be if I knew then what I know now?? I wondered what I would tell that little girl and what advice I would give her??

I know that I would certainly tell her not to sweat the small stuff and I would tell her that even though a heart may be broken...it still beats just the same (and I would tell her to watch "Fried Green Tomatoes" every chance she gets!!). Most importantly though, I would tell her to never let the people she loves slip through her fingers...because though she may have ice cream a thousand more times in her life...it will never taste as good as it does with Uncle Victor!!