Affirmation

This is, in nearly 600 issues of my writings, a first. Kenny reached out Monday and asked if I would allow him to contribute the Swann Family News. Kenny has stood by me all my life. We were best men for each other at our weddings. Funny that we live only a mile apart but can go a few weeks without seeing each other, but even so, we are there for each other when needed. Kenny and I have the wonderful ability to love each other whether we agree about an issue or not, and that is something that I treasure. With that said, words from Kenny Swann.

Joe

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Joe has very graciously allowed me to make a guest contribution to the Swann Family News.

With the passing of Aunt Anne our world has changed. It is a good time to take note of our responsibility to each other to continue and to remember. Both Joe and Vicki have now lost the tie that binds. And as life would have it, they both have now become the tie that binds to the next generation. Soon enough we will all fill that role and it becomes important that we pass along the history that makes us family.

Joe has and will continue to do this with his newsletter. I know that you, like I, look forward to it. It’s a neat thing that he did when he started doing this. He did a wonderful job with his eulogy. He did much the same for Aunt Margarette. His eulogy got me to thinking what a truly unique individual he is. Joe has a story unlike anyone that I know. We all knew and loved Aunt Margarette and Aunt Anne but let’s be honest, they were about as equipped to raise a young man as I am to do surgery. There is certainly a chance that I might perform a successful surgery but it would be messy and mistakes would surely be made. But Joe was theirs and they both gave it their all. If I was a betting man I would have put good money on Joe turning out to be spoiled or self centered or overly sensitive or a nun or a serial killer. But Joe is a remarkable man. He has perspective and insight. A subtle sense of humor and kind heart. He cares deeply and especially about the people that he calls family. He is a good Husband, Father, Teacher, Christian and Friend. It is obvious a lot of this is because of the love and nurturing he received as a child.

Vicki has also played a large part in this. She has completed what Aunt Margarette and Aunt Anne started. Together they have built a home and a family. Joe did good! Vicki did better. Joe had to have been a project!

So I tell you all of this to tell you one important thing—LOVE WINS!

Love wins when the odds are long. Love wins when you are ill equipped. Love wins when the road is long and uphill.

When we continue to tell our family story as we MUST do for it to survive. Let’s remember the reason to tell it—LOVE WINS!

Kenny