Why did I come here?

by Sharon Olsen

Why did I come here?

Because I felt your nudge inside, Lord?

Even though I was quite comfortable and content to stay put at home?

Was it because of Dave and Ginny?

To find some small way to tell them - show them -

 how much they are loved and appreciated

by each and all of us whom they have cradled in the warmth of

their home and hearts?

Ric and I often say, “If we could be like anybody it would be Ginny and Dave.”

They have the gift of making others feel better

just by spending a little time with them.

Was it because Russell said to me, “You know you are not getting any younger.”  

And I knew he meant his mom wasn’t either and I knew he was right

And an opportunity could be easily lost.

Was it curiosity stirred by Jay Wetherby

 and his family tree and photos that began to flood my e-mail?

I barely remembered him.

What motivates him to carefully and thoroughly document

the line of Davis cousins.

Was it Diane’s nagging us to make another trip to Maine?

Was it because I wanted to feel a little bit of my Mother’s presence again?

To somehow honor her memory by being there for her…

I have always been very proud of my mother.

 She was a born nurse and caregiver and an incredibly stable influence through all the ups and downs of life.

There was no guile in her only good.

Is it important to connect to cousins I barely know

And probably have little in common with other than a bloodline?

Is it important to connect again with those cousins I played with as a child?

With Paul - How good he looks and how I enjoy his humor.

With Carol Ann and Paul.  They both look happy with life and one another.

 Connie, my favorite cousin when we were young, Diane, my western neighbor,

 Nancy and Russell and their kids, the babies in our family

and Aunt Isabel our current matriarch.

Did I come to hear Jay speak about the letters from Uncle Llewellyn with encouraging words from the past?

I have one of his letters with me that was written to mom and me when my father died.  I was fifteen at the time.

Jay also told about the letters from Dave to his mother during her final illness.

 They carried the family through their time of suffering until she was released into her eternal life.

What a powerful moment that was.

 We were all moved by what Jay said.

 I would have traveled across the country just hear him share that.

What about Jerry’s letter?

That was another high point in reminding me of the good stuff passed on to me by my mother.

Did I come here to hear Cindy”s wonderful poem about cousins?

When did she take the time to write it?

I look forward to receiving my own copy.

Maybe I came to finally hike Great Pond Mountain

And watch Steve make it to the top

 with his patient, caring and admiring companions

 Russell and Lloyd?

Did I come to sing Happy Birthday to Hillary?

This is the first time I have met her?

Did she soften just a little

being surrounded by this big family she barely knows yet belongs to her?

And Paul and Kim, did they too feel and respond to the warm circle of cousins?

They seemed much more at ease by the time they left.

How great of them to come and bring Billie.

She told us so much about the cousins of the past

 and the flavor of love and fun they shared.

What would we have done without Cody to represent his generation in the family pictures?

I also heard Paul had a good strong singing voice.

Did I come to cut out a bunch of paper circles and shapes so people could bring the family tree alive now with our hopes and joys and challenges for the future.

Some may have been too emotionally hard to read but they were hung on the branches anyway where God can read them and provide.

Did I come to hear again the pain it causes my oldest son

 to have his brother and parents live so far away from him?

Did I come to understand a little more about who is who?

And what about the cousins that I didn’t have time to or get to know a bit better?

There are still so many.

Some questions answered and more questions opened up.

Did I come to have a lobster feast?

 Thank you again Mary Jane and Sue.

It was the cherry on the top of the weekend.

Did I come to get to know Joanie and Dr. Bill a little better and taste the “Davis Cake”.

It will be the next thing I bake at home.

Did I come to finally meet Dawn?

I visited her mother often with my mother

But we never quite connected.

I guess the pieces will have to settle before I know why I came here.

 Maybe some little seeds for good were planted…

We won’t know about for years…

If ever…

I’ll watch and see.

Maybe I came just to see Russell and Leslie enjoy each other and their girls?

Maybe it was to sit on the edge of the ocean to hold Evelyn in my lap

and keep her warm.

Funny she kept me warm too. 

Or to play “This is the way the Lady Rides” with her?

Maybe I just came to watch Leah play in the sea like a fairy child or sea nymph?

It’s all of this.

It’s more than this…

We’ll see…

Like kayaking through the morning mist on Lake Alamoosook

Soon, when the son’s light burns through we’ll see more!