The joy of Family

A son of a cousin of mine got married recently - in Spain. When my cousin first told me about it, I was pretty sure I would not be able to go.  In the first place, it's hugely expensive, and going to Spain for a weekend didn't seem like a good way to spend my hard-earned money, even for a dearly loved cousin.  In the second place, I hate flying, and the thought of spending seven or eight hours in a plane with several hundred other people left me cold, to say the least. In the third place, we really couldn't afford for both my husband and me to go, and I didn't feel up to traveling in a foreign country by myself, especially when I didn't know the language. But two things happened that made me rethink my situation.  First, John didn't want to go anyway, having been to Spain years ago and not being in the least interested in going there again, and second, my daughter Jenny said she would love to go with me, and agreed to make all the arrangements as long as we could stay for an extra day or two so she could see Madrid.  As it happened, it was the best decision I could have made:  the wedding was fantastic, we had a great time both at the wedding and in Madrid, and Jenny and I were able to begin healing a chasm that has arisen between us due to her decision to divorce her husband of two years. My cousin also said that he was very grateful to have us share the celebration with his family, and thanked us often during the weekend for attending. In the end, it was the joy of being with the family at such a happy event that made the trip worthwhile.