Reunion

Today, Sunday, August 7th, the Stewart Reunion was held at Cypress Church, address Cameron, NC, situated at a crossroads of country roads in the Sandhills, surrounded by scrub oaks & skinny pines.

All my Mama's people settled there.

Any of you reading this not familiar with this area, Woodlake Golf Course & Subdivision is smack in the middle of where the Stewarts & Blues bought farmland after emigrating from their beloved Scotland generations ago.

My mama talked about Scotland like she had seen it. She talked of Flora McDonald & Bonnie Prince Charlie like she'd met them.

Has oral tradition ended with her generation?

Often at a reunion, you get bits & pieces of history, & dreams.

Aunt May whispered to me: "I think John Pat might have become a minister:)"

(John Pat, my closest cousin, drowned at Linville Falls in the early '70's while celebrating the end of his junior year at NCSU)

Aunt Herminia reminisced, "We used to enjoy visiting you & going shopping in Raleigh:)"

Another comment: "You look more like your mother every year":)

And, "You have diabetes too?"

"Which sister are you?"

I commented a few times, "Who are they??"

Reunions connect families if you're willing to sit & listen.

Too often we say "Hey, good to see you!", eat, & dash off to our next stop.

Slowing down a little may allow us to hear of dreams & stories we've never heard before.

Listen.