Despite the blank stares, it was obvious they were related just by the way they looked.
Maybe the mother and father, in their early 60s, decided that in order to see their grandson, they would take his parents out for dinner. The five of them sat in a circle around a table eating, heads down or eyes wondering around, looking for something that would be a distraction or short conversation piece.
Dialogue was lacking. They didn’t talk almost the whole time. There were no debates, not even insincere chatter. Even the young grandson didn’t have much to add. Any time they did speak, it looked forced and was about nothing in particular. As the end of their dinner was near, it was clear the mood of the table actually started to become a little favorable, maybe because they knew the obligatory visit was almost over.
This was the scene at a table next to me at Chevy’s Mexican Restaurant in Lynnwood April 28. I was there waiting for my beloved family to join me.
While I don’t really know what was going on with this family, I was saddened from a distance for them. What was worse, there were about four other tables of people in my view with the same emptiness about them.
Watching all of this transpire got me thinking about how thankful I am for my family, and I don’t just mean that beloved nuclear family of mine, but also the rest of the bunch responsible for me.
My Mom, who genuinely gets more beautiful daily, raised me and my two younger brothers alone. She made sure we were able to get and do whatever we needed to succeed in anything we put our minds to. My Dad, a Vietnam veteran, has always been very involved in my life. Even though he lives in California, he also made it possible for me to travel to Europe and have the wedding I always dreamed of. To this day, he is my biggest fan. My two gorgeous brothers: Ryan — funny and smart, Michael — sensitive and loving, still worship the ground I walk on (just in case they read this). My Grandma, who I think is the sexiest person I know, at 74 still finds the energy to watch our four children for us on occasion. My Grandpa, a tall, strong Texan, has made sacrifices all his life for his country, family. I’m very proud and lucky to be his granddaughter. My Aunt Pat and Uncle Mike are two people who do all they can to make things special for others. And my cousin Michelle has one of the most important jobs there is — she’s a teacher.
I thought, this isn’t even counting all the others who aren’t blood relatives who have made a difference with me. I wish I could thank all of them for being an active participant in my life, not just someone who stares blankly across a room or only talks about what type of beans I ordered.
Shannon Sessions is the editor for the Lynnwood/Mountlake Terrace edition of the Enterprise Newspapers.
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