Tumbling Rocks

Hmmm....Maybe I'm getting my blogging shoes back on.

 I spent some time yesterday sorting through some old comments which then lead to my reading some of my old posts, and realized that some of them were actually pretty good.  Unfortunately at the time I wrote most of  them, I probably had about 10 or 12 readers.  Some newer readers have told me they've gone through the list on the side of the page and read more. One old friend said he actually read the whole opus...now that is a friend indeed!

Anyway, I ran across one that had been tickling my brain for quite a while after I noted that one of my favorite people had used a similar idea to one I remembered using,  although he had absolutely no way of knowing I'd used it back in 2010.  A small discussion group I'm a part of used the same metaphor/simile in a really fruitful discussion a couple of weeks ago, and I just couldn't rest until I found my piece.  Here 'tis.  http://onlycasualobservations.blogspot.com/2010/08/family-matters.html

In re-reading it, I'm convinced that many of you who have just spent some time tumbling with an assortment of relatives or friends in what may have been close quarters might find food for thought there.  My discussion group came up with comments describing what the "rock tumbler experience" might be like as "uncomfortable", "loss of personal control", "rough", "frightening", "eventually beautiful", and others.

Every time my increasingly large family gathers, I could use exactly those words to describe the experience.  I heave a huge sigh of relief when most of these gatherings are over, especially the lengthier ones where we're all under one roof for a week or so.  If we come out with somewhat smoother edges and there are no sparks to speak of, I count it a successful, and sometimes beautiful experience.  Even if it's kind of rough and uncomfortable, we are all usually willing to give it another whirl after a little alone time, because that's what families do. 

How was your holiday rock tumble this year? Feel free to comment below or on Facebook or to me personally at morrishome1@bellsouth.net.

Blessings,
Janie