When Cousins Meet

One of my absolute favorite things about being alive is enjoying the profound beauty of otherwise ordinary moments. This was one of those moments for me -- two little (2nd) cousins meeting for the first time. 

It's been a good long while since I've seen any of my cousins, except for Cousin Tricia, who came to see me when I was going through radiation treatments a couple of years ago, but other than that, it's been a while. My dad's family is from North Carolina, and when I was growing up, we'd travel from Mississippi to see Grammaw and Grandpaw Mills in Concord. While there, the cousins all gathered at our grandparents' house for hours of play, especially hide and seek, and tag. When I was in high school, my parents moved us miles and an ocean away, and summer trips to North Carolina became a thing of the past. 

Thanks to social media, I've reconnected with some of my cousins, one of whom (Betsy!) recently apologized for biting me when we were about this age. (How else is a three year old expected to resolve conflict? Biting is a simple, effective way to communicate displeasure over whatever the offense might be, especially if one is three.) I don't remember being bitten by Betsy, or anyone else for that matter. But, I do remember being smitten -- smitten with affection for my cousins. #cousins4eva.

This painting is 24" x 30" oil on linen.