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By Lloyd Albritton

Columnist

My father had seven sisters, My mother she had none,
Mama was an only child you see, And Daddy was an only son.
So seven aunts I’ve got, And uncles nary a one,
But with seven aunts like mine,Our family reunions are lots of fun.

Aunt Agnes was Number One, She was Papa’s pride and joy,
Though to help him with the fields to plow, He was hoping for a boy.
Aunt Agnes didn’t disappoint though, For she could do it all:
Plow the fields or cook the meals; She was hardy, strong and tall.

Aunt Gwendolyn was Number Two, But when all was said and done,
Aunt Gwen had everyone to know, She was really Number One!
She had the looks and charm, That went with being boss,
And anyone who bucked Aunt Gwen, Would do so at a loss.

When before the roaring twenties, Aunt Ruby came along,
She didn’t dance to others’ tunes, Or hum to others’ songs.
Aunt Ruby’s mind was all her own, And she said just what she thought,
She held her own through thick and thin, No matter what life brought.

Aunt Gladys was the quiet one, Pleasant, demure and kind,
But not without a fiery side, As some would certain find.
When she married Uncle Winkle, They moved two states away,
And our family trips to visit her, Made for a glorious day.

Aunt Jean was Number Five, Imperially attired and keen,
So stolid and aloof, I thought she was a queen!
Aunt Jean lived in the city, In a house as neat as a pin,
And when she came to visit us, I was proud to have such kin.

My father was Number Six, He was the only boy,
His sisters called him Bud, He was their pride and joy.
Daddy loved the cowboy movies, And was bad for pulling pranks,
But a boy with seven sisters, Is high up in the ranks.

By the time Aunt Edna came along, The house was getting full,
With way too many bosses, For her to have much pull.
But Aunt Edna didn’t care, To be boss of anyone.
She was full of wit and laughter, And seemed to have more fun.

Aunt Yvonne was the youngest, And spoiled beyond repair,
She was wild and crazy, And prone to take a dare.
She liked to laugh and play, And when she came around,
She acted like a child, And her face ne’er knew a frown.

Seven charming aunts, My father gave to me,
A grander set of ladies, I never hope to see,
Each has been my favorite, When she was in my sight,
For each has made her world, A place of great delight.

My father and his seven sisters grew up in the era of The Great Depression. Like the Waltons, the popular fictional television family of the 1970s, they were often fractious and fought like cats and dogs, but they loved one another fiercely and they faithfully attended annual family reunions all the days of their lives, always compelling their families to attend with them. Whenever one got sick or had a crises, the others all came a’running. Consequently, I had the privilege of knowing each and every one of my aunts personally, as well as each of their husbands and their many children, not just at family reunions, but also in one another’s homes when we visited often.
I grew up in a fairly large family as well, with four brothers and a baby sister, making six children. My parents have now passed on from this life, as have all my father’s sisters and some of their children (my first cousins), but all were favored to live to a good old age, generally into their late 80s. We have all shared many good times together during the course of our lives and those of us who are left continue to enjoy those good times through our memories and stories from those times. At 77, I am privileged to have arrived at a goodly old age myself and to enjoy the continued companionship of each and every one of my siblings. We know one another. We love one another (we like one another too). We quickly forgive one another when we inadvertently offend. We can finish one another’s sentences because we know one another’s stories of our lives together. Oh the joy of having a loving family! Families are important.
In an article in the New York Times a few years ago entitled “The Stories That Bind Us,” American writer and television personality Bruce Feiler reported on research into children’s resiliency and their ability to deal with stress. His report concluded that children who knew a lot about their families (1) tended to do better than other children when they faced challenges, (2) proved to be more resilient and able to moderate the effects of stress, (3) had a stronger sense of control over their lives, (4) had higher self esteem, (5) believed that their family functioned successfully, and (6) felt that they belonged to something larger than themselves.
Family stories, reported Feiler, “help children to gain insights into how to deal with the situations they encounter in life. A family’s stories tend to support a “unifying narrative” or pattern. For example, family narratives might include overcoming adversity, doing what’s right, and helping other people in times of need. The healthiest narratives reinforce the sense that family members have persevered through many ups and downs as best they could with varying degrees of success. Feiler suggested that families should tell stories to children whenever possible (at the dinner table, for example, or in the car. Tell all types of stories, from simple or humorous (our family’s worst vacation ever) to profound (my grandmother’s struggle with her cancer). Tell stories that reflect life’s ups and downs, but result in a positive outcome over time and show the family’s ability to overcome difficulties.”
I have included many of my own stories in a book entitled The Albritton Letters, which can be found and purchased at www.amazon.com in both hard copy or digital download. I invite my readers, especially my family members and friends, to purchase the book and read it. In fact, why not publish your own collection of family stories? You’ll have to write it first, of course, but your great, great grandchildren will thank you one day for taking the time. You can also post your family stories and memories at www.familysearch.org, the largest repository of family history in the world. And here’s the best part: IT’S FREE! Just open a free account and start filling out your own family tree, beginning with yourself. As your personal family tree expands with your own input, the computer will scan and identify other family connections worldwide from literally billions of names and will automatically populate your personal tree with your distant relatives. It’s great fun and it’s important to share what you know about your family with other family members and to find out what they know that you don’t. Need help getting started. Well, it just so happens that I am an expert on family history research. Call me directly at (850)281-3233 and I will help you..
Learn to love your family. They are the key to your happiness both here and into the eternities.