Friday, July 24, 2015

Boone Week


My younger nephew Boone came to visit for a week. Boone Week requires some commitment and finagling because Boone lives about an eight-hour-drive from me; even if I can get someone to meet me halfway on both the front and back end, I'm going to spend about sixteen hours in the car.

It's totally worth it, of course, or I wouldn't do it, and praise be: the other drivers must think so, also, else they wouldn't do it, either.

It's worth it because, over the last few years, I've gone from loving Boone because he's my nephew to loving Boone because he's Boone. I don't know how it is for you, but my parents were born into big families, so I have a ton of aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. I love them all because they're related to me, but I wouldn't say I love most of them for them; I don't really know them well. I want to know my nieces and nephews. I want them to know me.

It takes time to know a person. I'm thankful for my time with Boone because he's a really good person to know. It's funny how little things, sometimes, steal your heart completely. One of my favorite things about Boone is that if I cry out or startle, he asks: "Are you okay?" with the kindest tone. Maybe that's standard practice in your family, but it's not in mine, where concern is generally expressed with annoyance. The way Boone responded when I gasped, last week, because a bat (I think it was a bat!) flew into the windshield--and when I cried out because I tripped in the darkness of my driveway--helped me realize how good it feels when concern is expressed with love.

The more time I spend with someone, the more apt I am to learn from and about him or her, and I'm sure that's true of everyone. I wonder what Boone has learned from and about me, these last few summers. A week in my house might always be long enough to realize how messy and impatient I am. But I hope Boone sees me, too, as a person who loves him in the way of putting her money where her mouth is. I hope he'll remember me as a person who wanted to know him.







8 comments:

  1. Based on the pics, he certainly fits in with your brood! I suspect the impatience, the mess, all that goes with a big family, goes right past him, because he feels and knows the LOVE that permeates everything that happens in your family! What a great thing for a young man to know.

    Peace <3
    Jay

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  2. Isn't being an auntie one the best roles on this earth? Love the pictures woman, you have talent!

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    1. LOVE being an aunt. Wish my nieces and nephews weren't all so far away.

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  3. Boone looks like a cool cousin, for sure! (especially in that pork pie hat)

    Is Chip learning to swim yet?

    :-)

    -Andy

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    1. Not yet. I'm happy to report, though, that he's figured out that--if he falls in the water or otherwise gets his face wet--he needs to stand up. Last year, we had a scare in which he lost his legs in mere inches of water.

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  4. This makes me long even more to be able to spend time with my nieces and nephews. We never really get to see Paul's nephews or niece because of the lack of relationship with his brothers(one of whom lives here in town), and my nieces and nephew are all down Texas way. I've wanted to know them all so much...to see the people they are in the process of becoming. I'm glad you have this chance! :)

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