Observed at My Family Reunion:

*A little three year old girl cousin sang karaoke with her mom and aunt to “Hit Me Baby One More Time”. Aunt won a very big beauty contest a number of years ago. We could barely hear little cousin’s voice from her wicker chair hot seat.

*A cousin asked me to watch her kid while she cleaned up in the kitchen. When the child got fussy, I brought him over to his father who was sitting and drinking a beer. Dad said, “Take him to his mommy.” I figured out a way to calm the fuss rather than disturb mommy.

*All the women in our family got up to sing “We Are Family” and we noticed that 2/3 of the entire group was on stage. This was because, I observed, women live longer than men.

*Many people who had not seen each other in a long time shared a lot of hugs and laughter.

*The event was held in a part of the country that values money and beauty much more than where I currently live. Despite my awareness of this fact, my body image was pummeled.

*My uncle and his cousin got on stage to sing a homo social love song (I don’t recall which one— something about not being able to live without one another). This was uncomfortable for me, but apparently hilarious for everyone else.

*A girl cousin I grew up with told me about her experiences in China. She mentioned that the young women she met there lived in dorms. These dorms had scales in the dining area so the ladies could weigh themselves before and after meals. She said the women she met had very poor body image. I have been unable to verify the scales claim.

*I bonded with the people in my family (especially women), and I let them know that I love them.

Lots of other things happened as well. I am conflicted because despite the problematic events speckled throughout the weekend, I really enjoyed feeling like a part of something. I liked contributing to my family. In any case, these are my honest feelings and I am working them out.

Thank you for reading.