My Monkey's Uncle
I mentioned in my last post that my mother's cousin joined us at Howe Caverns the other day. Since Linda is my mother's first cousin, I think she is my second cousin, if I've interpreted the chart I found on the internet correctly. It's been over a decade since I last saw her... maybe even 15 years or so. Although we lived in the same state for my growing-up years, our families didn't cross paths often, which was too bad, for Linda has two daughters who are the same age as my sister and I.
I've written before about the lack of blood relatives I have. My father is an only child, and we didn't see his parent's sisters and brothers often, for it seems my grandmother didn't get along with some of them. My mother has one sister, and she and her children all live in Washington state. My mother's parents had siblings, and we saw some of them now and then on our twice-a-year trips to New Jersey. So seeing a blood relative is quite unusual, and seems to be worthy of note.
It is strange making small talk with someone you are related to. I kept looking for family resemblances, but didn't see anything other than height and body shape that my mother and Linda share. And then I heard Linda laugh, and I realized: she has the same laugh as my grandmother!
I hadn't heard that laugh since 1979, but it was electrifying, as if my grandmother had popped into the scene for a few moments. I've never thought of sounds being genetic, yet hearing her laugh was like hearing an unexpected recording from years ago.
When my parents told me Linda was joining us, I was rather perturbed, imagining having to spend a couple of hours with someone I barely know, when I had been envisioning something very different. But after hearing her laugh, I was intrigued. I wanted to hear her do it again. I wanted to find other links between her and other people I once knew. I wanted to see her interact with my son, and sprinkle some DNA from those people and those times upon him.
Now that I am FB friends with most of my own first cousins, I find there is little that connects us, outside of shared blood. One of them has the same nose as our grandfather, but little of his mannerisms or personality. Now I am curious to see Linda's children again, and look for other connections between us.
I've written before about the lack of blood relatives I have. My father is an only child, and we didn't see his parent's sisters and brothers often, for it seems my grandmother didn't get along with some of them. My mother has one sister, and she and her children all live in Washington state. My mother's parents had siblings, and we saw some of them now and then on our twice-a-year trips to New Jersey. So seeing a blood relative is quite unusual, and seems to be worthy of note.
It is strange making small talk with someone you are related to. I kept looking for family resemblances, but didn't see anything other than height and body shape that my mother and Linda share. And then I heard Linda laugh, and I realized: she has the same laugh as my grandmother!
I hadn't heard that laugh since 1979, but it was electrifying, as if my grandmother had popped into the scene for a few moments. I've never thought of sounds being genetic, yet hearing her laugh was like hearing an unexpected recording from years ago.
When my parents told me Linda was joining us, I was rather perturbed, imagining having to spend a couple of hours with someone I barely know, when I had been envisioning something very different. But after hearing her laugh, I was intrigued. I wanted to hear her do it again. I wanted to find other links between her and other people I once knew. I wanted to see her interact with my son, and sprinkle some DNA from those people and those times upon him.
Now that I am FB friends with most of my own first cousins, I find there is little that connects us, outside of shared blood. One of them has the same nose as our grandfather, but little of his mannerisms or personality. Now I am curious to see Linda's children again, and look for other connections between us.