Thank You, Cousin Linda!

My favorite cousin turned 60 a few weeks ago. I had totally lost track of time and it took me by surprise. Oh, I’m 54 and I know she’s 6 years older…I can do the math, but I simply hadn’t thought about it. So when she said “turning 60 was better than turning 50,” I had to smile.

My Cousin Linda was a great friend to me and more like an older sister in many ways. When I was in grades 5 and 6, I would sometimes go to her neighboring town and spend the night on Friday nights. Often, I would get to go out with her and her older brother and go to the drive-in hamburger stand. We would get cherry Cokes and giggle and make stops along the way for “Chinese Fire Drills.” Sometimes, her boyfriend went and his girlfriend went and they made their little brother go to act as my “date.” I felt so grownup! (Imagine a car that would hold 4 people in the back seat! That was a HUGE Chevy!)

Then, we would go back to her house and read “Tiger Beat” and listen to the radio. Sometimes, she would play her ukulele and sing songs like “Teen Angel.” It was a beautiful, innocent time.
Soon, she went off to college and I was left to my middle school years and no way to go “out” on a Friday night.

I’m thinking about all of the things I learned from my Cousin Linda and her generosity toward someone younger. She was always so patient with me, teaching me the “hula dance” AND the hula hoop. Showing me how to twirl a baton and letting me practice with her lipstick and makeup. Showing me how to “tease” my hair. She also modeled reverence for God and took me to church on those times I stayed over Saturday night!

Thank you, Cousin Linda for your love and generosity.