I met some 60 people during the family function last week. My mom introduced me to a quarter of them, and my granddad introduced me to the other half of the crowd. The remaining lot asked who I was. That’s how I added those many faces in my mind, all in one day. I don’t remember their names individually nor do I recall how they are related. Some of them had interesting stories to tell about me. The kid they had seen years back who was all grown now. It was a fun conversation with some knowing about their experiences and their life tales and with some I wanted to take a rain check the moment they started talking.

It is so strange how the entire generation is associated with so many people whom they have never met nor heard of. The bond and link of the newer lot is seemingly less with their elder counterparts as the family expands. The newer ones can relate to their immediate family members. More often, it happens that the older ones are familiar with the family structure. They are in touch with the other far-off relatives and still have a soft corner for all of them. This is because they have lived with one of the members. This opens the doors for the younger generation to relate themselves..  It all depends on the time that you have spent with the other person. This increases the attachment. 

My granny’s cousin is dear to her. I have hardly met him. This weakens my connection with the cousin. The connection feels like a distant one. It surely is a close one when it’s from his side, as I am his sister’s granddaughter. 

We hardly know the names of our far-off relatives. We wouldn’t be bothered about what is happening around them?  And since we have not stayed with them we do not have that attachment. At the same time, if there are people who are out of the family tree, and you have a friendly relation with them, the affection is more. It all depends on the individual comfort and chemistry. Each relationship is valuable and the two people who are a part of it only understand the significance of it. Relations are pretty amusing as its level varies with each person. Yet, nature and character entity remains the same.