Memory 18: Bonding Of The Cousins

After our March 2012 family reunion, this phrase became an event for me and my cousins. It was not just a time to catch up but also a time where we can be ourselves -- letting go of our walls and be real to our dear cousins.

But the purpose of this "bonding" is all about sharing; everything that we missed from our childhood and the things that we've been through while we're apart. We have our own lives now but during special occasions, we make it a point that we bond like there's no tomorrow. Don't care about the sleepless nights or the stress from relatives that kept us from staying up late. Even if it's just two hours, it meant a lot for us.

I'm a bit sad that we bonded like this just now. We're super close before but I think after Kuya Lester left for abroad, we had our own thing with bonding -- separate circles and activities.

Kuya Rence made a huge effort to pull us back together even if he's burned out from work. And this year, 2012, was a landmark. Even if we're not totally complete, the reunion was one of the best reunions we had. Prior to that, our Christmas and New Year's celebration were a success. Kudos to Rence! He made it possible. He's just amazing!

Just wanna share...we have this favorite place at our grandparents' house -- the balcony. We spent our "bonding" and even shared our little secrets there. We could stay there for hours and just chat about everything.

One time, me and my parents decided to spend the Holy Week at my grandparents' house. My cousins came too since they live just blocks away. We ate lunch, snacks, and dinner together. At night, we stayed at the balcony and the bonding started. My cousin, Janica, asked interesting questions about science and religion. We exchanged ideas and stories. Even if we didn't find the answers to our questions, we enjoyed that it was not just talking or catching up, it became a bonding with learning.

We also bonded during our cousins' birthday-slash-swimming celebration. Even if I'm not a swimmer, I enjoyed playing with my cousins. I couldn't ask for a better summer. This is the best!

I'll keep you posted with more of our bonding soon. I'm sure there's more in the future!