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This makes me sad!

daddodaddo Member Posts: 3,408
edited February 2004 in General Discussion
Just 2 or 3 years ago, our family all lived within 25 mile of each other and we would get together often for birthdays and just for fun. Spending the day with family was great fun, and there were about 30 of us.
In just 2 to 3 years we have dwindled to 6 + us four. Grandmas gone, my dads gone, one of my sisters and brother-in law and two kids moved to another state, Other inlaws passed away, freinds moved, ect.
We see some of them at Christmas (maybe) and thats it. Getting older really stinks when the family shrinks and sometimes it makes one feel alone. The thing that keeps me going are my wife and two kids, but the kids will be leaving the coop soon.
I think about it now and then and it just makes me sad all over!

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Comments

  • Henry0ReillyHenry0Reilly Member Posts: 10,892 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ok, but don't forget to count your blessings too. There's a lot of people who never had any family network at all. I seem to be making lots of visits to the funeral home myself as my friends' bad habits catch up to them. I'm not sure how many of my grandparents generation are living, maybe only one.

    One the bright side, don't you have grandchildren to look forward to? [:D]

    Henry (44, single, no known children)

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  • FrogdogFrogdog Member Posts: 3,030 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I hear you, daddo! I think we're in different stages of life, but I've started to experience similar things. I remember all the years we had family reunions with so many people we had to rent out a hall. Slowly became less and less until the only folks getting together each year were the grandparents, parents, and us kids/cousins. Reunions stopped all together last year on account of us all being spread out and the older members not wanting to travel much. Lost my grandpa (1st of the grandparents to go) last summer and I'm sure there's going to be more funerals to come, probably sooner than later. As sad as it is I guess you just have to accept that things change and so does our role within the family. Not sure I like this whole being a grown-up thing.
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  • cletus85cletus85 Member Posts: 2,104 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    On my grandma's 90th birthday my sister asked her "What's it like to live to be 90 grandma? Her answer still bring tears to my eyes and reminds me that I didn't visit enough. "It's awful lonesome sometimes." She lived 6 more years.
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  • SamieJ1959SamieJ1959 Member Posts: 157 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We had a patriarch in my family that always set up the reunions. Seems like every came back then. When she passed away the whole family fell apart and no one comes any more. No one has taken the initiative to be the next patriarch. Takes some one with some push to get everyone in the same place at the same time. Plus, to many people get into the hussle bussle of life and don't take the time for family any more. Everyone seems to be caught up in themselves to care any more. My kids don't know who their cousins are. And when they do see them they don't remember who they are because they never attend the reunions. I haven't missed one yet.

    You get out of life what you put into it. If you put nothing, you get nothing.
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  • pickenuppickenup Member Posts: 22,844 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mom was the one that could get us all together.
    Once she passed on, it was over.

    Nieces keep growing up, getting married, and moving away.
    At least my sons are still close.

    I know how you feel.

    The gene pool needs chlorine.
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  • MercuryMercury Member Posts: 7,840 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ok guys......you want family? YOU CAN HAVE MINE!

    Merc (who is child-free, and mostly relative free! THANK GOD!)



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    "Tolerating things you may not necessarily like is part of being free" - Larry Flynt
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  • powdersmokepowdersmoke Member Posts: 3,241
    edited November -1
    Two brothers in California, One sister in Washington state, a son and Sister in Oregon, one daughter in Texas, one brother in SC, a sister in NC, a daughter in Jax,FL, a sister in Ocala, a daughter in Apopka,

    The rest are relatively close, one sister and two brothers within relative shoutin' distance.

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  • rossowmnrossowmn Member Posts: 1,959 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Here's another perspective on the "losing family" idea. The day after my father's funeral last April, my daughter told me she was expecting her first child after four+ years of marriage. Is that proof that life goes on or what? (And now I have a beautiful baby granddaughter who lives only a couple of blocks from where I work, plus three grandkids with my son and his wife about 5 hours away.) In life, the inevitable sadness is tempered by the certainty of occasional joy.
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  • BlueTicBlueTic Member Posts: 4,072
    edited November -1
    My side of the family is spread all over and thank God for Mrs. Blue's Sisters/Mom and most of her Canadian relitives. I missed all the family shindiggs for years - cause I moved away. Her family is close and we are always having the group hug for various reasons, sometimes no reason at all[:D] I think it gave and gives my children more sense of worth, as they have a whole built in support group. It's funny how life changes things for a while - but comes back in full circle, just new/different characters[;)]

    IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY RIGHTS - GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY (this includes politicians)
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  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mercury
    Ok guys......you want family? YOU CAN HAVE MINE!

    Merc (who is child-free, and mostly relative free! THANK GOD!)



    Merc:

    Someone should save this comment for you and let you read it when your are about sixty. You'll have plenty of time then to think about it.

    Clouder..
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