Keeping Family Close

I was standing next to a Dad I know at one of the basketball games last week. I was photographing the game and he was making a video with one of those new cameras that looks like a SLR but it actually does both still and video. He made a joke saying that he was making some video clips to send to relatives so they wouldn't come to visit. Of course he was only kidding but it made me start to think about how we keep in contact with our families and how things have changed dramatically since my mother's time.

Every single Sunday was spent with the family when Mom was growing up. The entire family met at her grandparent's house and there was a large meal prepared while all the kids played. It was that way when I was growing up as well. It was a routine and a ritual that made us all feel like we were a part of something bigger than ourselves.

Skip ahead and our families can be all spread out. Mine are all in Texas but they are in Houston, Pflugerville, Gunter and Van Alstyne. When my children were little I faithfully mailed envelopes of photographs to show my relatives how much the children were growing. Now I text, email, blog, send video clips, links and Facebook posts. But we're really trying to do the same thing they did when my mother was little, and that is to keep the family close.

If you haven't shared my website or my Facebook page with your out of town relatives, please do. It's a way your family can keep close and enjoy looking at the latest games or portraits. As far as whether they will still visit or not...that's up to you.