by Cinti

Created on: June 15, 2008   Last Updated: June 26, 2008

When my family was still married, the seven of us children, went shopping together and argued about what to buy father for Father's Day. A tie was always on the gift list - along with other things to counter this impersonal but necessary gift. A fishing rod, bait & tackel box, a belt, a money clip; with seven children you could never have enough money! We separated around my tenth birthday but before the divorce, togetherness was taken for granted, a given. It became clear to me, after we divorced, that the one thing my father wanted most was to spend time with us. Time costs nothing initially, but costs everything ultimately. We come to realize that due to it's limitations, time is priceless. That, while opportunities abound to earn and lose monies, time spent can never be regained. Time for six of us seven children has spanned into adulthood. Our father has grandchildren and great grandchildren, and we've all come to respect the power of time.

When we were married, Friday evening was family night out. Just as soon as everyone got home from work, school, girl scouts, sports, caddying or whatever; we'd all pile into the station wagon headed for the fish fry and place our dinner orders to go, en route to the drive-in movie theater. There was something of interest to each and every one of us at the drive-in. Me and my younger brother looked forward to going to the play ground, before the movie and during the intermission - for different reasons than our older siblings. There were other families with children so it was very social, not to mention the thrill I got from going high on the swing or fast around the carousel. The teenagers were flirting but found it offensive when our parents paid similar attention to each other.

Cartoons filled the screen, when lights went down on the playground prompting those who were slow to leave the swings to run fast to their cars, so as not to miss a word. If mom and dad were caught smooching in the front seat, a chorus of objectionable noises would remind them that they were not the main attraction! Frequently I'd fall asleep during the main attraction, but wake right up for the playground and dessert during intermission. No matter, we were all together and I could discuss the cartoons, if I didn't quite understand the film.

When my family got divorced, our Friday ritual went away. Fishing trips went away. Mother didn't fish but tried to fill that void by sending us fishing with aunt Rose. It was an adventure with aunt Rose

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