Family Diversity

The weather cooperated nicely with a clear sky and bright sunshine as we crossed the mighty Mississippi from Vicksburg into Louisiana yesterday.  We arrived in Alexandria in time for lunch with cousin Tom. We were able to avoid any political discussion (well, almost).  Tom and I live in two different states—but politically we live in two different galaxies separated by ten thousand light years! 

Over the years I’ve always thought of Tom as Uncle Carl’s (my mother’s brother) son.  I seldom thought of him as Aunt Gladys’ son.  Tom looks a lot like my Grandad whom I admired.  As a young boy I also idolized Tom’s Dad, my Uncle Carl, whom I never met. Now Aunt Gladys was a wonderful person—and she was always gracious to me—but somehow her son, Tom, was (in my mind) Uncle Carl’s son (my side of the family tree).

Aunt Gladys’ family were Texans—but before they were Texans, they were immigrants (Tom’s maternal grandparents came from Germany to Texas in the late 1800’s).  Aunt Gladys’ family were pioneers who brought to Texas their German ingenuity, cuisine, language, and other customs. Many Texas towns have German names around the San Antonio area.  I never thought of my cousin Tom being FIFTY PERCENT (at the very least) German!  After his father’s death when he was only 5 years old, Tom lived with his German grandparents on  their farm.  He barely knew his paternal grandparents—or the rest of us on his father’s side of the family.  Tom is his mother’s son—perhaps even more so than his father’s! And I’m glad he is!  Americans are a diverse people—they are not one race, religion, or culture, never have been and never will be.  I’m very proud of my family diversity and which continues to diversify.

Today we will drive west toward San Antonio where cousin Tom and I first connected 58 years ago, and then lost touch with one another until just eight years ago.  Texas is a big, big place and we expect to be in Texas for several more days.

Uncle Carl, ca. 1941.
My cousin Tom looks very much like him,
but we all should know by now,
that looks can be deceiving.