La Famiglia

   You can't use a GPS to find the
coordinates for heaven. But, last night,
we found a little bit of heaven right
here in Wildwood!
    Our family trips, and I stress the
word family, began here in the 1940's.
    Back then it was my Dad, my Mom,
my brother and I.
    When my brother went away to
college I was allowed to bring a friend.
So the "family group" remained at 4.
     My wife and I joined my Mom and
Dad in Wildwood after our first daughter
was born. We were up to five!
     After my Mom passed away we
wanted to give my Dad something to
look forward to and suggested renewing
our family trips to the shore. My brother
and his family joined me and mine and,
within a few years, "the family vacation"
had grown to include at least a dozen
people if you include a sister-in-law,,
nieces or a friend here or there.
     Time and busy schedules changed
all that although I, and my growing
family, kept coming year after year.
      This year one of my brother's
daughters and her family happen to
scheduled their Wildwood visit the
same week as me.
       Last night all the gang got together
and it was like old times!!
       We gave the Pizza guy the biggest
order he's had in a while and enjoyed
each other's company and family
stories!
       The kids got to renew relationships
with cousins they see all too infrequently.
And my son got to entertain the young
ones my lifting them into the air with
his hands. He declined, however, to try
the feet with me. I can only assume he
had counted the number of pizza slices
I had consumed.
      The conversation and laughter
probably echoed through the neighborhood
not to mention our building. We did become
slightly concerned it would wake our
youngest family member (soon to be 4).
      But when we found her asleep under
a table in the middle of the commotion we
realized there was no need for alarm.
     A GPS will not guide you to heaven.
     But all of us are convinced my late
Dad , Mom, and Brother were in our
midst as we celebrated life, tradition, and
"La Famiglia"(the family).
     Hope you're making memories with
yours so that all of your NEWS will be
good!