Rewind seven days ago and I’m on the flight to North Carolina with my sister, mom, dad and myself. Usually, on family vacations, my brother would be with us but he recently moved to NYC so he’s meeting us there. This was the first evident change, of many , that I realized have spawned the growing up period of my life.
Our Gambuti (my step-dads side) family weddings have always been a large affair. Having 4 uncles (including my dad) and 3 aunts, the family tree gets spread out into a large amount of people. Not that we ever minded, the more , the merrier. After the wedding, the reception seating was upon us. My brother , sister and I were placed at what we dubbed “the kids table.” Making a joke about this , we walked over to my parents table where they were with my grandparents and a few aunts and uncles. My dad said something that I didn’t really think about until now. He said “Ya know, the kids table is really the cousins table and let me tell you, I’m happy I can still sit at a table with my parents as their kid.” Wow. It kind of hit me. I’m too busy making a joke about my kids table and never really even thought to think that my grandparents are indeed, getting up there.
As the night goes on, I think about the differences in 10 years ago , to today. My grandpa can’t walk as well as he used to, the dancing with them is to a minimum, even at the beach, my grandpa couldn’t get in the water from being unstable on his feet. That’s not to say, they both don’t have the mind of a 20 year old, because they do. They nag each other like they are newlyweds but then again, they know each other so well which comes with age.
Growing up, our family used to take one big vacation to seaside heights (the once known family vacation spot now know as the spawn of the Jersey Shore party scene.) On these vacations we’d all be in the ocean, walk the boardwalk and drive up together. Now that we’ve all “grown up” in a sense, families separate out on their own vacations. Cousins (just a few years older than me) have created their own families. I never took the time to realize these differences until they were apparent in my face.
Even the usual family beach vacation was different for us. Normally, we would have all of the siblings and my parents. My brother was missing because he returned to NYC after the wedding and I almost couldn’t come because now I have my own job(s) to tend to. Thing are different now and we are growing up. My sister and I were able to spend some quality time time together the three days we were at the beach, but even then, I realized how much she is growing up when she exclaimed “I get my drivers permit in six months.” Really? She’s only 4. Nope, she’s surely 14 going on 15.
In the past few months, I’ve had to say goodbye to some friends who moved, change jobs and realize that going home only comes two times a year now. All of these are tell-tale signs of my growing up but also the people around me. I often am so wrapped up in my fast-paced life that I don’t take the time to realize that the important people in my life such as my grandparents, parents , siblings, aunts and uncles and cousin are all growing older to. Seeing them once a year is not something I wish I could extend for weeks. Growing up not only means a change in myself but also the others around me. I don’t think we realize that as we get older, so do the people around us.
This vacation was not just relaxing but a reminder to myself to cherish the loved ones around me because their time is limited. All of our time is limited. I am proud to say I’m a proud member of the kids table if it means I’m still around my cousins and my parents are still with their parents.
*I told them to smile, this is what I get
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