Sunday column: Family (again)

The state of the economy has forced people here and across the country to do many things they otherwise never would have dreamed of.
Thought you’d never buy furniture at a thrift store or forgo one season without adding a few new wardrobe items? How about this one — moving back in with Mom and Dad? How many of us loaded up our college-bound cars years ago with every intention to never look back?
The global economic meltdown is forcing many of us to consider some possibilities and make decisions we never thought we’d have to. Returning to Mom and Dad’s house may be one of them. But, I wonder, is it really that bad?
Especially for families with children, sharing a home with your parents, or your spouse’s parents, could have a couple of perks. I know for most people it is not an ideal scenario, but these days we’re all having to “turn lemons into lemonade,” as the cliché goes.
I was fortunate enough to have a close relationship with my grandparents while they were living. Although we didn’t live in the same city, much less the same house, I still treasure the time spent with them and the memories we made.
When I met my husband, I remember feeling more than a twinge of jealousy when he told me that three of his four grandparents are still living. Mine have been gone for years, and I miss them.
After all, my mom never kept several flavors of ice cream in the freezer year-round, or let me eat blue Jell-O with my fingers out of a big bowl on the living room floor, or play endless games of Monopoly and Scrabble with me. Those are the kinds of things only grandparents would do.
I grew up with two cousins close to my age, and our tradition every summer was to spend a week together at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. They lived in a tiny town with just a Wal-Mart and a Piggly Wiggly, so we three girls were creative in the ways we entertained ourselves through the years. But, we were certainly never bored.
Grandma, a retired nurse, and Grandpa, an artist and carpenter, tolerated our antics (such as half-hour giggling fits, half-finished craft projects and many unsuccessful attempts at press-on nails) with saintly patience and humor. Would Mom and Dad have been so agreeable? No way. That’s what’s special about grandparents.
I’m sure they were exhausted and relieved every year when our parents rolled into the driveway to pick us up, but that never stopped them from hosting us again the next summer.
I can only imagine how many more fond memories I would have if we’d all lived in the same city. Yet, I’m grateful for the closeness we did have, especially once I realized that not everyone’s extended family lives within driving distance.
So, maybe the kids are a little more spoiled when Grandma and Grandpa are around, but it usually doesn’t cause much harm. The closeness of family is a gift not everyone is fortunate enough to enjoy, so those of us who have it should appreciate it. Even if we unexpectedly find ourselves in close quarters.
I’ll be the first to admit that family relationships are challenging, and that’s putting it mildly. Sometimes we wonder how we’re even related to those people. But when it comes down to it, the lucky ones can always rely on family, despite our differences.
In recent months we’ve all seen how unstable things can really be. We question the reliability of our jobs, our finances and even our government. Those of us with families we can count on must truly realize how fortunate we are.
We may grow out of the phase where a little blue Jell-O and some press-on nails are all it takes to make our day. But, when the people who wanted to see us smile back then are still there for us now, that’s something to truly be happy about.