Nurturing relationships important to you

This past week I spent some amazing time with my very special cousins and their little kiddies up in London. I cannot stress enough how incredible it was!!! It did get me thinking how important those relationships are to me and how I have put in so much time and effort nurturing them.

As you may have guessed, today I am going to talk about the important relationships in my life. How they have affected me and the importance of nurturing the relationships we have and why.

I didn’t get the chance to grow up around a large extended family. Having grown up in Zimbabwe, I had no cousins, aunts or uncles around me and this definitely made an impact. Of course we compensated and had incredible family friends who were basically family without being related. They all ended up moving away as well though. (Zimbabwe was not an easy place to live and most people decided it would be better and they would be happier elsewhere, and I have to say I don’t blame them). I didn’t know what it was to have cousins, aunts and uncles around, until I came to live in the UK.

I was so nervous and rather uncomfortable at first because these people are technically my family but I didn’t know them from Adam. As time went on and I spent a little more time with them I grew to really love them. When the first of the new generation arrived, courtesy of my eldest cousin and his wife, I was beyond excited. I doted on her and loved her with everything I could offer. The extended family grew again by welcoming the wife of my other cousin and bringing in an American contingency. Remember I didn’t grow up with a lot of family around me. Trips to London and Somerset became more and more frequent and more time was being spent with my amazing family.

The 2020 pandemic hit me hard because there was no chance of going to see any of the family. I really struggled with that, as I’m sure many of you did. Thank heavens we live in the 21st century with Facetime and Whatsapp!!! Can you imagine if we were stuck in this pandemic 200 years ago… Umm… NO THANKS!!!! I kept up with everyone and regularly facetimed each respective family and received the best news of the pandemic.. Our family was growing again.. 2 new baby cousins on their way.

The first chance I got, I jumped on the coach and hightailed it up to London before I lost the chance to meet one of the new little ones. I got news from the cousins that they will be leaving for a foreign posting of about 3-4 years. So not going miss seeing the 2 kiddies again before they go.

I started off with one set of cousins and their little girl for 3 days. We had the very best of times going to the museum, pub, baby classes and fun time at home. When they headed off to Somerset for some time with the Grandies, I went to spend some time with the cousins that will be leaving. I met the first little man of the family. We spent some truly incredible time with the cousins I have come to really love and cherish.

All of this has given me insight into how important it is to nurture the relationships that are important to you. It doesn’t mean you have to talk to them all the time. However, a simple message checking in, a call once in a while and a visit can really change your whole perspective on life. It showed me how much better life is when we are surrounded by the people who are most special to us. I will miss the cousins that are leaving for 3 or 4 years intensely but I know that I will still have contact from them because of how much time I have put into those relationships.

Who are your nearest and dearest and how do you nurture the relationships that are important to you??

Always remember no man is an island. We were never designed to be alone. The people around us can build us up, challenge us and best of all love us. Nurturing relationships is so important to improve your life on this earth.

Until next time…