Now that members of my extended families have in-laws, vacation, and other Holiday plans, we don't have the large Christmas gathering anymore. It has shifted to a New Year's Day lunch in recent years. On Wednesday, the family met at my sibling's home for a feast of spring rolls, noodles, char siu, samosas, charcuterie, and a diverse collection of food.
There was plenty of leftovers because sadly, almost 10 people were absent due to illness: old-age infirmities, chronic conditions, and seasonal infections. Some of the attendees were also not at full strength. One of my cousin, who was only in their late 20s, spent the last year on chemo and surgery. The young children were ignorant of these undercurrents and happily played with old and new toys. My nieces have entered into their adolescence and hints of teenage sullenness are surfacing (at least toward the adults). It was a bit sad that despite all living in the same metropolitan area, a rarity in North America, the 2nd cousins did not see more of each other.
My sibling told me about his plans for early retirement. Their timeline was even shorter than mine with a clear idea about next steps: returning to school and learning hands-on skills like carpentry. I wasn't sure about my own goals but was leaning toward part-time work instead of full retirement. My older relatives would likely be aghast that our generation wasn't keen on working for 40 years.
