Rev. Cheryl

Dear Family and Friends,

I don’t know how many of you missed me this past Sunday. I was in Houston, TX, at the 56th Bell family reunion, which had been postponed for the past two years due to the pandemic. These reunions have been going on for a little over 60 years now. They started off being an annual event and then went bi-annually.

I find it interesting that the Center for Spiritual Living’s theme for this month is “Relationships,” as I went back and forth trying to decide if I would attend this year’s reunion. Finally, after a couple of sleepless nights, I woke up at 2:30 in the morning, went downstairs, got on my computer, and purchased an airline ticket to Houston.

I remembered how much I loved hearing all the family legacy stories and telling a few stories of my own and how unique, particular, cute, beautiful, and or funny our family is to me. I wanted to see all the older folks from my beautiful Aunt Cynthia, who is 96 and the last and the youngest of my Grandfather’s 13 siblings, my Dad, who just turned 85, and my stepmother, who just turned 80, and I could go on and on and on!

There were 175 of us in attendance. I love that I am not only a friend but a daughter, sister, niece, cousin, auntie, and great-auntie. Beautiful! I was sitting in a restaurant (at the bar) looking at all my younger cousins and nieces and nephews, and there was not one that I had not babysat or taken to see a movie or out for ice cream. Though I have no children of my own, it was surreal to see how my maternal instincts manifested in my relationships with all of them.

I even went to Sunday morning “Church,” and the topic was Unity! Perfect. Remember that being with and getting along with one’s family is just another way to create a world that works for all.

Love,
Rev. Cheryl