by Barbara Kasey Smith

Created on: January 09, 2009

Why would anyone want to exclude family from a family reunion? Now, if it is outsiders this is a totally different subject. The question present here, "Is it okay to exclude people from a family reunion?" My response is in reference to "family members" only.

I do not believe any family member should ever be excluded from a family reunion and any one that suggests this is being petty and wanting to deny a family member from seeing their family members. This to me would be utterly ridiculous. If a person feels so strongly that they do not want another family member in attendance when they are there then it should be up to that person to stay at home and miss the family reunion themselves. If this is a case of inviting an outsider to a family reunion, I don't believe this would be a good idea unless that outsider knows and it close to the entire family.

A family reunion is suppose to be formed in love and in a desire to keep in contact with family members they haven't seen for years or just to be with family members they are not around on a weekly basis. Family reunions are to be fun and full of love for each other and the meeting of relatives new children and added family members through marriage. It is not formed to carrying on vicious gossip about a relative or to carry tales that would hurt or affect any family members family.

I love family reunions because it allows us to spend a pleasant day with all of our relatives to discuss accomplishments, great achievements, a son or a daughter who is serving our country, for health of those relatives who are not in attendance, children in colleges and what they plan to do with their lives etc. It binds families together as a family and allows each person to show love, care, and concern for their relatives.

These reunions builds family bonding and relationships that carry on throughout the years. Without family reunions "we" would lose total touch with our families tree and we would lose where our relatives are and what has happened to them over the years and what other family "names have added" as a part of our families.

Keeping in contact with our relatives is inspiring and heart rendering. It's nice to be with aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and to meet who their children married. It also good to know who has passed away and who may have lost a child. Reunions can bring on deep family discussions and I believe everyone should know all about their relatives and to pass this on to our children who in return will pass it to their children and on and on.

If your family hasn't had a family reunion for a long time, you might want to consider one because you'll leave with an abundance of family information that could be beneficial to all of you in the future.

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