After a week and a half essentially on my own at home, on a holiday from kindergarten teaching, this weekend we have a family get-together.
With my wife and her 3 brothers, and our immediate families, we have met at their mother’s place. That’s about 20 people all told.
It has been a joy.
When you decide to spend the rest of your life with someone, you hope that his/her immediate family, those who have known him/her longest and probably know him/her best, are okay people.
I’ve lucked out because Ece’s family are some of the warmest people you will find.
They actively stay in touch when face-to-face gatherings aren’t possible.
They look for the good in people.
They like to laugh.
From the moment I entered the scene, they welcomed me with open arms, like I had been a member of the family for years.
When my parents visited last Summer, they were stunned how welcoming everyone was. And relieved that I was in good hands, living halfway around the world.
I still need time on my own.
If you’re an introvert, you are in the same boat.
But you can genuinely enjoy other people’s company if you:
- Make sure you (stubbornly) create time for yourself;
- Are (piercingly) selective with whom you spend time; and/or
- Get (super) lucky with your partner and their immediate family
It all starts with taking a big breath at home!
