I know people who associate their family gatherings with the sound of arguing. There are some people who associate their family gatherings with frigid silence. Some families embed their angst into succeeding generations until no one even knows any more why they are mad at each other, but they stay mad, anyway.
I associate my family with the sound of laughter. I grew up being loved and nurtured by people who appreciated the humor in everyday life, and were not afraid to laugh over good fortune or misfortune and everything in between.
The ones who led the way along the journey are leaving us too quickly, and too soon. But I know that God is having a lot more fun in heaven today than he was before, because my Uncle Bud Bishop is there now. I hope he has found my dad and my Uncle Harris, and they are all laughing together about something silly like a last piece of pie.
Bud, you are missed more than you know, but you are in my heart forever. Believe it or not, that is enough.
