Celebrating Four Generations

I have returned from a trip to Pennsylvania, which included a visit to see my mother. She is in a nursing home located near the Pittsburgh airport. It is always good to visit her, but this time our visit coincided with a trip made by my sister, her oldest daughter, and the newest member of the family - Arthur - at age four months.

My mother was particularly excited to see her great grandchild (one of three). The visit created an opportunity to capture a photograph of four generations of family members, which I have posted above.

I was also reflecting on the fact that (in addition to those pictured), in my lifetime I knew my mother's father and his mother, my great grandmother. So in my lifetime, I've witnessed six generations of family members whose birth extends back to the 1860s.

Life's a mystery! I can't help but think about how our memory of family keeps them alive in our hearts even when they are no longer with us. When he is old enough to appreciate it, I'm sure Arthur will be shown this photo and reminded of who all those people are. Their lives will become embedded in his consciousness, and he will go on to tell future generations about his mother, grandmother and great grandmother (and maybe even his great uncle, Ray.

I realize this blog post is more personal than some, but I wanted to share it with you.

Wishing you happy memories of your own family members!