A few days before I left for my half marathon in Phoenix, my mom called me and wanted to give me a phone number. She told me that my cousin Marlene lives near Scottsdale and when she told her I would be arriving with me daughter wanted to meet me. At first I told my mom that my time there would be short and that I didn’t have time to call. But after hearing the disappointment in my mom’s voice I decided I would buck up and make the phone call. After a few rings my cousin (nearly my mom’s age) answered the phone and when I told her who I was, I was expecting a polite exchange of words and then I would politely let her know it was nice talking with her, but I wouldn’t have time to meet with her.
What surprised me was the warm exchange between us. Marlene was a link to my mom and to my family, many of whom I have never met. After a nice 20 minute conversation we decided to meet for lunch on Saturday before my run on Sunday. I realized that I forgot to ask her what she looked like, but when she pulled up, I immediately knew who she was. She looked a lot like my Aunt Juanita (her mother and my mom’s older sister).
We had such a beautiful afternoon sharing and getting to know each other. It was wonderful connecting with family and I look forward to meeting her children (my cousins who are a ll about my age). I am so grateful that I stepped up and made that phone call. Not only did it make my mom happy, but it connected me with a piece of my heritage.
