Legacy

How long will you be remembered after you're gone? Like really remembered and celebrated? I don't have any delusions about having a bank holiday in my honor, but this weekend at our family reunion in Barren River Lake State Park I was reminded of just what an impact one life can have.

For the past 45 years the Scott clan has reunioned. At the beginning it was annually to celebrate Mattie "Mamaw" Scott's birthday, and then as families grew in size and distance, and schedules got tighter, it evolved to an every-three-year gathering. When Mamaw passed on 18 years ago, no one really expected the tradition to continue. But as the number of Mamaw and Papaw's seven living children dwindled to three, the enthusiasm to come together from around the world has not cooled.

Even Ruby was stoked about going to meet her Scott relations.

Three years ago, Jon's first introduction to the Scott crew--a year before he still bravely entered the family--86 of us crammed into this photo.

This year, although the family has grown, our numbers were down to the mid-seventies:

It all got me thinking about a few things, such as:

Is it okay for an adopted child to have a crush on someone at a family reunion, especially if it's a third cousin in-law?  Seriously, there's no common blood whatsoever, she could do worse.

Genetics are so complex! The resemblance in a nuclear family can be uncanny, while one degree of separation and there might be no recognizable similarities in appearance or personality. At the lake where we had all our cabins, we just waved at everyone assuming we were related to them, cause we could barely distinguish who was with us, and we definitely couldn't remember all their names.  I propose in three years, we have a competition to see who can recite, or draw, the family tree the most accurately. Maybe that will encourage us to do our homework a little better before we make fools of ourselves pretending we remember who goes with who.

And finally, just how many lives can one person affect? For better or worse, we are constantly altering the course of not only our own existences, but those around us with our words and actions. What can I be doing now to ensure that my offspring enjoy spending time together enough that dozens of them will continue to travel to see each other for decades after I'm gone? (Aside from the obvious answer of having some offspring in the first place.)

In my opinion, this is Mamaw's greatest accomplishment. She may not have a holiday named after her, but she raised children who value family. She taught them to love each other well enough not to let petty things separate them. To forgive, to laugh, and to seek to do life together. It is a huge credit to her that Jon still proposed after spending a weekend with 85 of my relatives. Let's see if the three girlfriends who joined us this year will stick around too...

The family tradition of singing "Good Old Mountain Dew"

If you're part of this motley Scott crew, or you just want to see what traditions like singing together for decades looks like, check out our latest family reunion video, but at 18 minutes it's not for the faint of heart. If you are a Scott, you might want to have some Kleenex nearby.