I love my cousins. On the Lindgren and Bess sides, I have the best cousins. And, I married into some terrific Smith/Morgan cousins, too. Cousins are friends for life. They are some of our first best friends... and some of our forever best friends.
My dad had only one brother, so his three children are my only biological cousins on that side of the family. Harry was older, but Cheryl and Carol were only a little older. I wanted to be just like them. Hand-me-downs from them were some of our favorite clothes. Time with them always felt too short and it went by too quickly. It still does.
My five bonus cousins, the Atelevich and Earnhart cousins, added to the fun, including more twins. Their visits meant sleepovers at Grandpa and Grandma's house, bear stories, barn play, musical shows, and Schwan's maple nut ice cream. The party lasted until they returned to the suburbs of Chicago and California.
On my Mama's side, I am the oldest cousin of twenty-six. When neighbor boys (Hanson/Lindgren) married sisters, we had instant best friends for all of our childhood days. April was the same age as the twins (Dawn & Donna). Doug and Matt were the same age, too. Debbie and I were the bookends with nine years separating us. Debbie grew up on my hip. We were together every Sunday at our grandparents' homes. On Sundays, we added in Angie, Kathleen (technically an aunt, but more like a cousin), and the younger ones who came later. They were our favorite playmates. We would laugh, play, cry together, fight, dance, sing, defend each other, and forgive.
Cousins really are forever friends. I still treasure any time we are together. Like Mary and Elizabeth, I have cousins who are much younger than I am. I was a young adult in college or married when some of them were born. One of the benefits of social media has been getting to watch them raise their families and keeping connected with all of my cousins... and Randy's, too. Mary and Elizabeth did not have the benefit of modern technologies.
In this season of advent, I cannot help but ponder the unique and special relationship between Elizabeth and Mary. They were cousins. Elizabeth was the older and wiser one, who was married to a priest. She had her own miracle growing in her womb and a husband struck silent for his unbelief. Imagine what it was like for them to be together! I am not sure I can really grasp the magnitude of what it must have been like for them.
People gossiped then, as they do now. For Mary and Elizabeth, there must have been a comfort and beauty in being known, believed, and understood.
"She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed." -Luke 1:40-42
Celebrate your cousins. Treasure being known, believed, and understood.
Today, I am grateful for cousins.
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