...for mixing up Aunt Ginny's name with Aunt Peggy's on the inherited traits email to the Damon clan. Must have been the migraine that has addled my brain his morning, or perhaps a middle-age moment that rendered me temporarily, I hope, idiotic, but whatever the case, I feel awfully foolish to have written the "service for Aunt Ginny" instead of for Aunt Peggy, especially given the fact--and an indisputable one at that--that Aunt Ginny has many years left to enjoy, and still sparkles clear and bright! Thank you to Annie for bringing it to my attention, and apologies to Aunt Ginny, who I am hoping received the news with a forgiving smile :), and to everyone else, some of whom I might have scared, surprised, and, though I hope not, offended. It was a lovely service for Aunt Peggy, and I hate to think that I have diminished it or her memory in any way.
It's funny--I've been thinking about what our first Damon post would be, and well, here it is, certainly not what I had planned. Over the years, this family, this large, rambunctious, generous, loving family of Damons has meant so much to me. Those big family gatherings at the farm when I was growing up--whether for a summer reunion in the meadows, a country wedding, a Thanksgiving feast, or a Christmas celebration--pulled me up and out and provided a tether to something secure and loving and steadfast that I desperately needed. Over the years, we've all grown up, and yet, the need for that connection has always, and will always, remain. I see it in my own children now--and particularly in their love of big family gatherings, and their love and pursuit of family history. So, on this Thanksgiving eve, I offer this thanks: for all the gatherings, past and future, for the constant pull of the family tether, for the sense of belonging, home, and connection, and for the love, humor, and forgiveness, I thank all of you! XO Liz
