A Parting And A Coming Together

"My family is my strength and my weakness".

-Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

  Family. Sometimes it is difficult for me to explain my family. We have been through so much together, (and apart), over the years. My family is not perfect, as some of yours may be. Over the years we have shared great times; as well as devastating moments such as the early loss of our mother, the economic and emotional hardships we endured afterwards, and the subsequent separations we experienced as we grew into adulthood.  I believe that each one of us has sat alone with our thoughts and wondered how we would have fared in life had our mother survived her illness. Would we all have gone to college? Would some of us have married at a young age or would we have even married that particular mate? Would we have become so independent at an early age or would we follow the paths of so many youth of today and stay under our parents roof well into adulthood?

  I stopped mulling over these type questions many years ago. I have long accepted my lot in life and have concluded that it is the will of God that I have taken the paths, (whether good or bad), that I was destined to take.  

  Recently I was blessed with the opportunity to see my twin brothers again after many months of non-communication. Without going into detail, I will simply say that the enemy had been successful in causing a breach in our relationship and until we were face-to-face we did not realize how we had been deceived. Sadly, it took the passing of our childhood friend, Winston's, mother, (Judith Nixon), to bring us together again. In many ways Mrs. Nixon had been like a mother to us as we were growing up and there was no way that we would not be able to attend her home going.  I view our recent reunion as mother Nixon's final charitable act towards us, and for this I am so very grateful. 

  As Winston and me and my brothers congregated and began to reminiscence I began to feel the resurgence of the special love that has been between us for years. Someone once said "funerals are not for the dead but for the living". I saw this to be so true as we talked and took pictures and laughed together.  My relationship with my brothers has always been a special one. I am thankful to God for allowing us to come together again in this life and disperse any evil intent to keep us apart.  

  There is still much work to be done concerning me and several other members of my family, but I will be faithful to believe that even those situations are already being worked on by God.  

  Sometimes it's so hard to walk through the storm but it is possible.

  I love you all.

  Dennis