Recently I had the pleasure of taking a vacation with my mother and husband. As it turned out, it was a family oriented resort which put us in the middle of young parents and young children.

Now while several of our friends have grandchildren, my boys are not there yet.  So…..we spent several days enjoying inter generational families  (grandparents and grandchildren) enjoying each other’s company.

This ‘family time’ reminded me of the summers I spent with my own maternal grandparents and how I took for granted three generations living together under one roof.

Times have changed….think of how many families/friends  you know where the adult children have moved out of the province ( or out of country) for educational and then employment opportunities. Many never return ‘home’ and as a result, like my own nuclear family, parents /grandparents live many hours drive ( or flight) apart.

It is not just grandparents who find themselves not enjoying a daily, weekly or monthly visit.  Familial relationships become more complicated and definitely more distant when siblings and first  cousins don’t know each other.

So today I feel fortunate being able to spend quality time not only with my own mother  and husband but also witnessing the joy that these many families appear to be experiencing together.

Life is short.