Gunderson Family Picnic

Today was the annual Gunderson Family picnic. I don't know how many years this has been happening- but at least for the 28 years of my life it has been a Gunderson tradition. The Gunderson's are my Grandma's side of the family-and there are hundreds of us. We are so many I probably only know half of their names. I am of course a few generations removed from the origins of this great Norwegian family- but in our world family is family 1st, 2nd or 3rd -once, twice or maybe even three times removed. I have never really understood how all of that works, so I keep it simple-family is family, even if they are crazy.

Today I sat in the hot sun on the river's edge watching my nieces and little cousins play in the river. They are oblivious to the small detail of THE RIVER IS COLD COLD COLD! I momentairly flashed back to the marvelous childhood I had playing in that river. (Was it warmer back then or is it just me?) Has anyone else noticed that 'childhood' sometimes stood still? It did for me. Summer was endless. The days flowed one into another-picking up where we left off without even realizing that we had stopped for dinner and sleep. Hours of swimming and tubing, picnics, kick-the-can, bonfires, singing, cousins, climbing trees. Grandma always around the campfire cooking- in fact she is still there when our family gathers like it did today. There was always a snack ready and a fire to dry off by. Those days, weeks, months seemed endless. Since I have no real concept of what time actually looked like for me in those blissful years I have thought of asking my Aunties how long they really camped for every summer- but I am afraid it will spoil the magic of my memories. So, for now I savior the sweetness that is my truth from those years called childhood. And as I sat in the sun today my hope and prayer was (and is) that this generation will have beautiful, timeless memories to carry them through their years too.