All Bessie’s Children

Don’t look for that on Spotify. I’m pretty sure you won’t find it. Of course, it could be a country song. Does it sound a little like the title of the soap opera “All My Children”? It should. This was the second place title possibility of a family newsletter I started over thirty years ago. The winning title was “By George!”. “All Bessie’s Children” was the pick of family members whose last name was not George. That would be my sister’s wing of our family. The Georges outnumbered the Semmels and “By George!” was born. By the way, Bessie was my mom!

“By George” lasted about five years. It carried family news and profiles. It contained recipes and reviews. It told family history and traditions. It was fun to put together. I was thinking about it recently when I saw some pictures on Facebook of a great great niece of mine whom I’ve never even met. Facebook is the new “By George”. But something is missing. What happened to that sense of family that at one time was so important? Maybe other families have kept this going. I think, though, it is a natural progression because of a family’s size, expanding geographical distances, and technology.

My mom and dad had five children. Those five had 15 children. Those fifteen had 22 children. And here is where I’ve lost track (except for pictures I see on Facebook and Instagram). That is a lot of people to keep “close knit”. My family, all Bessie’s children and more, are and have been located across the United States. Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, California, Colorado, and Oklahoma. The military has sent some overseas. Those are some long distances to keep a family “close knit”.

As I look back on my ever shortening life, I often think of those times. The times of “By George!” and before. I love my family, as much as I ever did, but somehow I don’t feel connected to this expanded family as I did when my nieces and nephews were kids and young adults. I suppose that is natural. I’ve written often in this blog about how much I like change. Well, this is one change I don’t like.

My mom and dad were both born over 100 years ago. This scattered and expanding family is part of their legacy. I wish they were both here to see All Bessie’s Children. I know they would be proud. I am proud as well. Proud to be a George. Proud to have grown up during a wonderful time. Proud to have created the awesome family newsletter, “By George!”.

Keep your family close. Like Bob Dylan said “The Times ,They are A’changin”.