Siblings Unite

Yesterday was a rare affair.

Many do not know that the Collins children span

from Simone, the oldest 81 and myself, youngest at 57, 23 years.

Something happens when the matriarch and the patriarch dies.

My Dad died in 1983 and part of us all went with him.

Family gathering that were once mandatory became "if you can make it"

in the big house we were raised in.

We were not all able to stay as close as we were when he was alive.

Yet, we tried, and we tried hard. 

Celena, sister and her hubby Ted bought the family home 

and every Christmas while Mom was living,

hosted Christmas Eve at their house. For my family

it was a given, go to church then meet at C and Ted's.

It no longer was mandatory but on any given Christmas you 

never knew who would be there. Oh what fun we had at these gatherings.

Like all families, they became extended the little children became

adults and it just became harder to gather as a family.

Then Mom died..... and another piece of our heritage and heart 

went with her as well. C and Ted sold the family home

as their little family no longer needed so much space.

All of us became busy in our own lives and although some of us 

remained visiting whenever we could it was always one here

or three there. It was not all together as it had been in the past.

Simone made the decision to go to a nursing home when her health 

became that she needed medical intervention daily.

We all tried to visit as much as we could, many of us

made her birthday celebration each year but never all of us.

Then Covid... what covid took from us...

Let me be sensitive to those not as fortunate as us,

we have been blessed that none of us died from this dreaded disease.

I know many families have not been as lucky.

What it did take away from my sister, was family,

visiting, hugs, kisses, relationships. 

The home had to keep her and their other residents safe, we 

all understood and appreciated that.

For her, she had to be lonesome, with long days.

Some of us visited at the window when we could always

at different times but that does not give you the human touch we all need.

So it was a wonderful feat when C was able to coordinate

a day at the home where we all could visit at once.

We surprised her with all 5 of us with a visit that allowed

some of us to hug and kiss her for the first time in over a year.

The gathering was also for us siblings as well as we

realize always how we need to gather in the name of

our Collins family and our parents honor.

We sat for three hours just talking...

talking about our families, sharing photos, my brother 

speaking about Vietnam and we  all shared what that

war did to him and our family. Most of our memories

are personal but I will say that we all left there with a better 

understanding of how our lives have led us to the 

people we are today. I was able to ask and get answers to 

questions that I had about when I had cancer.

It was a beautiful day and we all felt the love our

parents bestowed to us when they made us a Collins

Simone Marquerite

Lawrence Joseph (diseased)

Veronica Ann

Peter Romel

Rosanna Marie

Celena Monique

Lillian Therese

Connected by blood, United by love.

Thanks siblings 

"... and I don't know if you knew so I'm taking this chance to say

that I had the best day with you today"

-taylor swift