Me Thinks

The individuals in these two pictures mean so much to me.  The picture at the top is of my husband, his living siblings, and his parents.  The picture below is of the three women (the three on the left) who married other Clarke brothers, and on the far right is one of my husband's sisters. I unfortunately do not have a picture of the three brother-in-laws married to Clarke sisters.  

Last week the Clarke adults met for a few days in California for a reunion.  Due to the health restrictions of several family members, we did not do a lot of sightseeing, nor leave the house to eat out, which turned out to be a favorable thing.  There was plenty of time for relaxation, walking on the beach, enjoying the seashore view, and talking.  I learned a lot and was able to think about many things, such as:
How to be a supportive spouse
How to get a long with daughters-in-law
How to parent adult children (and how not to parent adult children)
The effects of poor health
How parents sometimes have to pay for the mistakes of their children
The reality of social anxiety
The demands of parenting today, including checking devices carefully
The need to resolve family issues and move on
How to better plan and execute large family gatherings
Things not to say to certain neices/nephews
How one person can feel like they are helping someone else, but in reality they are infringing
How perceptions can get in the way
The need for open communication
An example of patience and non-complaining
An example of sweet endurance
The need for effort in remaining physically healthy
An example of a loving and patient spouse
Acting kind, even when things aren't easy in your life
The balance between being content with average and seeking for excellence
The law of the harvest
Repentance, change
Pride 
Taking a long view with your children
Avoiding labeling
The importance of parental approval in the lives of children
The importance of emotional resilience.
The importance of courage and confidence,
How every family member has issues and stresses, and
How talking together helps us resolve things, and makes us feel supported.

There are benefits to talking things out and there are benefits to listening to others talk.  There are great blessings in being a member of a family and supporting each other through thick and thin.