How does a visit of six weeks turn to four months?

With relatives like mine, that’s how it happens. I feel I am almost jinxing things by writing about it now, before they have actually moved out of our house (which they will do in the next 16 hours), but I just can’t help but express the relief that accompanies getting this enormous weight off our collective shoulders.

This was not a case of “oh, my relatives are visting and they have finally decided to leave and ooops, they totally overstayed their welcome.” Lies, deceit, attempted destruction of character and reputation, greed, sense of entitlement, lack of human compassion and goodness are all things that we have experienced in these past four months. Things happen for a reason though, and as a result we have grown closer as a family (speaking of the six of us here). I think my parents have their eyes more fully open, and I feel (in this case) vindicated in my selfish and suspicious attitude that accompanied my hearing that they were coming to visit. As a family, we have unfortunately seen how easily allowing someone in and treating them like your own can wear you down physically and emotionally, and make you question if anybody cares about their fellow man or woman anymore.

But we survived. And I for one am looking forward to losing touch with family–a sentiment that I, isolated from all my extended family for 25 years, am surprised to admit.

Filed under: Family by jummy