Getting to know you

For the last few months I have been exercising at our family center to keep my body in as much shape as possible for my age. Another lady and I have become friends and  every couple of weeks we go out for coffee and a chat. She is several years younger than I am and we are so different it isn't even funny, but for some reason we connected. Apparently she is a new member of my tribe that I didn't know was missing.

I came from a small family containing one younger brother. Although I had several 1st cousins, we were not close. 

My new friend had 9 brothers and sisters and has 7 children of her own. Her family is very close. She is in daily contact with her adult children, a fact I am having trouble understanding. During our coffee chat yesterday she shared some personal information that shed some light on this subject. She said that when her first husband died suddenly her children rallied around to support her.

I wondered what would it be like to have that kind of family support. Then I realized that I do have family support, but not from my biological family. During recent years I have picked up spiritual family members who have become very supportive. Because of them I have evolved to the human I am today.

I am always reminded of the song Julie Andrews sang in, The King and I, Getting to Know You. It is one I used to sing to my daughter when she was a baby and I was changing her diaper.