Family, friends and the weird guy from your class – why reunions are like human fruit salad
After braving the organised chaos that was a family reunion in Cairns, Rebecca Levingston is rolling the dice again before Christmas.
“Am I related to Taylor Swift?”
That’s the question my youngest son asked on the way home from a family reunion.
He’d spent the weekend swimming and scooting with a circle of cousins he didn’t know existed. So vast was the array of aunties, uncles, grandparents and extended family that he’d concluded he was related to everyone.
It was my husband’s side of the family who chose Cairns as an easy meeting point. We piled into a resort and marvelled at how many kids had arrived while raising a glass to older loved ones who’ve departed.
Family reunions are like human fruit salad. We came from different cities, states and backgrounds. Gold miners, banana farmers, surfer, chef, carer, teenager, boomer and everyone in between. We spent three glorious days figuring out baby photos and recollecting stories from family archives.
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One conversation stands out in my mind from the reunion. It was about the night my husband’s grandmother broke her neck in a terrible car accident more than 20 years ago. She never lost consciousness. She did lose the use of her arms and legs.
Temporarily paralysed at 75, she had lifesaving surgery and learned to walk again. This was a petite granny I met after her accident who’d never let on that she went to the brink of death but fought back.
She cooked and cared for all. We ate her beloved spaghetti bolognese (the secret is to put extra fresh garlic on the table). I never knew the full extent of her injuries and rehabilitation.
I always loved her as a gentle matriarch of the family, but to understand her extraordinary determination is a gift.
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We go to reunions to reminisce and if you’re lucky you get a shot in the arm for the future.
Later this year I’m going to my 30 year school reunion. Yes, 1994 was three decades ago – I had to double check.
I missed the 10 year reunion because I was too busy falling in love. I missed the 20 year reunion because I was pregnant and in the throws of morning sickness.
But this year, finally, I’m looking forward to catching up with many of my classmates from Kirwan State High School in Townsville. 300 of us graduated the same year that Jeff Bezos started Amazon and Kurt Cobain died.
Social media keeps some of us connected and able to share life’s various adventures. Births, deaths, marriages, shocks and surprises. A microcosm of experiences that all have a common connection. I guess we’ll find out how unpredictable life can be.
My father just went to his 60 year school reunion. He likes catching up with old mates. Dad says ageing is unavoidable and best managed by staying open minded.
Avoid complaining about the past and present and be curious about the future. If only we could all adhere to that philosophy.
My mum regularly attends Tully reunions in Brisbane. Her rainy little home town has an impressive diaspora. Must be something in the sugar?
Mum says when she meets up with old school friends, some are barely recognisable initially. But as she drove away from the most recent catch-up she could only remember what they looked like when they were teenagers at high school.
I’ll let you know how my reunion goes in November.
