Cousin Love

These days, in-person connections are lost, instead days are filled with social media, talking via text, and seeing family only at family functions. I vowed that I would not let that happen to my cousins and I. My mom and her cousins would always tell us stories about their days growing up, and they basically lived at each other's houses that's how often they saw each other. I have to admit, I was jealous.. I wanted that kind of relationship with my cousins. While I'm close with my cousins, I wasn't THAT close. 

That's when cousin dinner was born - a night we would gather together at a restaurant of our choice and talk over good food. Our family is big on food, so we did not think twice when we were deciding on where to meet up, and since none of us have our own houses yet, a restaurant seemed like the best choice. We were able to fill silences with bites of food, though there is barely any silence. 

Year after year we have added cousins to our dinner dates. As the years went by, each cousin got older, and when they reached a certain age, only then were they invited. This year, we had ALL of the cousins come together! Everyone was finally of age (even though I don't want to believe it)! We decided to meet at the diner, and it was there where we went around the table and discussed our lives, the next steps, and eventually movies and news. No topic is off the table, but we vow in the beginning of the night not to mention anything that was discussed at cousin dinner with anyone. Even though it was rainy outside, we did not tire. 

We knew the night would have to end at some point, so when we saw the tables dwindling down, we decided it was time, but not before a huge cousin dinner picture. After hunting someone down to take it, we quickly said goodbye in the rain. 

Weeks before cousin dinner, I found myself at one of their fashion shows, and weeks after cousin dinner, I sat in the school gym watching him perform in Grease. Honestly, the bond that cousins share is unlike any other, and I'm not about to let that bond break.