VIBING TH E GOOD VIBE
It was a fabulous day; it couldn’t have been better. And as the dozen of us were saying our lingering good byes, it was clear many knew this had been a very special day, which had afforded unique opportunities. And Carpe Diem indeed – we did seize the day with fullness and vigor and I for one, was resisting a little in letting go of the extended moment. But the day was ending. Soon to be gone.
This lingering late night group was a subset of a larger gathering of family of friends – a significant mass of love and connection that was centred around a freshly minted octogenarian, with whom I share a direct blood line.
In the spring of 1930, a beautiful young boy was born in a house in Sarbeck, near the University town of Muenster, in the Fatherland. Walter Lucas was the 4th in line of what was, when fully built out, a family of 7 children. It was the birthday of his younger sister Magdalena that prompted the gathering in the quaint church-bell-ringing town of Paderborn, this past September of 2011. And me” I’m the youngest son of Walter.
Like all good parties where average age of the attendees is rather significant, it started at noon. And like celebrations dating back eons, it was filled with food, drink, music and good sharing.
My brother, the aging pugilist from an earlier essay, was working his magic throughout the day. Funny and charming, smart and engaging, he attracted and entranced his own entourage of the intrigued. He and I sat at different tables, mirroring a larger pattern of each of my immediate family members having their own province.
Around the room were a plethora of personalities. The Germans, for anyone who’s paying attention to history, export GDP numbers, or who has directly engaged them, knows they are no slouches. Smart, hardworking, and enterprising – sure; but it is this thing called, what – Intensity? – perhaps laced with competency, that provides the endless fodder for late night comedians.
This intensity shows up in many ways. An Italian lover, whose blood line includes a German father, commented that the Germans have spent a couple of generations reflecting and examining themselves. She pointed to the more intense problems in Italy as a direct reflection, of that lack of reflection.
There were speeches, including one from yours truly, tremendous good food, friends, and most interesting to me – family. Literally within 15m of me were more than two dozen cousins, 2nd cousins, uncles and aunts, along with dozens of friends of the birthday gurl, and, my Father and his long time bride-in-waiting.
Three brothers in particular impacted my day; the sons of the octogenarian. They are all similar in age to me and my two brothers, and they had 5 kids and 3 gorgeous wives between them. Nice. Also, between them was a palpable good will and respect, so critical for higher interpersonal functioning.
There was so much genuine mutual curiosity amongst us all; and an unspoken agreement to maximize the day. From the general like: holy crap, Siemens has well over 300,000 employees, to the more personal: hey Dadio, how are you integrating and enjoying the fact that your eldest daughter is stunningly beautiful, super tall and dating?
As the day fell to evening, and the evening fell to deep night, we gathered outside of what was by then, our 3rd venue of the day. As we stood on the wide cobblestone sidewalks under the soft street lights, us - 5 brothers and the sons, daughters, wives and cousins, said our goodbyes.
It was such a satisfying day - to know more of who I am, and to know more of some others. And to share so much goodwill and love, fuelled in part by our shared heritage, was so awesome. We were all rich in the currency of being very welcomed and acceptance. Yes indeed it was hard to say good bye. But we did.
I saw my cousin walk away together with his wife of many years. As they gently strolled away, they effortlessly put their arms around each other and shared a full lateral embrace as they continued. I imagined they too were feeling the wonderfulness.
Closing the door gently to my hotel room, I breathed deeply, and wept.
It was a fabulous day; it couldn’t have been better. And as the dozen of us were saying our lingering good byes, it was clear many knew this had been a very special day, which had afforded unique opportunities. And Carpe Diem indeed – we did seize the day with fullness and vigor and I for one, was resisting a little in letting go of the extended moment. But the day was ending. Soon to be gone.
This lingering late night group was a subset of a larger gathering of family of friends – a significant mass of love and connection that was centred around a freshly minted octogenarian, with whom I share a direct blood line.
In the spring of 1930, a beautiful young boy was born in a house in Sarbeck, near the University town of Muenster, in the Fatherland. Walter Lucas was the 4th in line of what was, when fully built out, a family of 7 children. It was the birthday of his younger sister Magdalena that prompted the gathering in the quaint church-bell-ringing town of Paderborn, this past September of 2011. And me” I’m the youngest son of Walter.
Like all good parties where average age of the attendees is rather significant, it started at noon. And like celebrations dating back eons, it was filled with food, drink, music and good sharing.
My brother, the aging pugilist from an earlier essay, was working his magic throughout the day. Funny and charming, smart and engaging, he attracted and entranced his own entourage of the intrigued. He and I sat at different tables, mirroring a larger pattern of each of my immediate family members having their own province.
Around the room were a plethora of personalities. The Germans, for anyone who’s paying attention to history, export GDP numbers, or who has directly engaged them, knows they are no slouches. Smart, hardworking, and enterprising – sure; but it is this thing called, what – Intensity? – perhaps laced with competency, that provides the endless fodder for late night comedians.
This intensity shows up in many ways. An Italian lover, whose blood line includes a German father, commented that the Germans have spent a couple of generations reflecting and examining themselves. She pointed to the more intense problems in Italy as a direct reflection, of that lack of reflection.
There were speeches, including one from yours truly, tremendous good food, friends, and most interesting to me – family. Literally within 15m of me were more than two dozen cousins, 2nd cousins, uncles and aunts, along with dozens of friends of the birthday gurl, and, my Father and his long time bride-in-waiting.
Three brothers in particular impacted my day; the sons of the octogenarian. They are all similar in age to me and my two brothers, and they had 5 kids and 3 gorgeous wives between them. Nice. Also, between them was a palpable good will and respect, so critical for higher interpersonal functioning.
There was so much genuine mutual curiosity amongst us all; and an unspoken agreement to maximize the day. From the general like: holy crap, Siemens has well over 300,000 employees, to the more personal: hey Dadio, how are you integrating and enjoying the fact that your eldest daughter is stunningly beautiful, super tall and dating?
As the day fell to evening, and the evening fell to deep night, we gathered outside of what was by then, our 3rd venue of the day. As we stood on the wide cobblestone sidewalks under the soft street lights, us - 5 brothers and the sons, daughters, wives and cousins, said our goodbyes.
It was such a satisfying day - to know more of who I am, and to know more of some others. And to share so much goodwill and love, fuelled in part by our shared heritage, was so awesome. We were all rich in the currency of being very welcomed and acceptance. Yes indeed it was hard to say good bye. But we did.
I saw my cousin walk away together with his wife of many years. As they gently strolled away, they effortlessly put their arms around each other and shared a full lateral embrace as they continued. I imagined they too were feeling the wonderfulness.
Closing the door gently to my hotel room, I breathed deeply, and wept.
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