Waving

My family has many rituals. Among them, calling to sing "happy birthday" to the birthday person on their special day (which is usually amusing since most of us can't carry a tune in a bucket!), gathering on Christmas Eve afternoon at my parent's house to open one present each, doing a shot at family parties as a toast to whomever isn't present (and if everyone is there we can usually find another excuse, dearly departed relatives work well since my Mom's family was a fun-loving, partying bunch), and waving. It doesn't matter if your trip will take you across town or across the country, whenever you leave the house of someone in my family, somebody always stands in the door or at the window and waves.

Growing up I thought that every family waved when someone left. As I got older I became increasingly aware that it was not the norm for people to do that. Most of my friends were shocked when we would leave my house and my parents would be in the window waving. "Geez", they would say, "do they think you're not coming back?". In a way I think that's how this particular ritual began. My Mom said that in her family someone always waved good-bye, and her Mom said it was because you never know when someone leaves if they will be coming back, so it's nice to share a parting wave as they go.

The waving ritual that for me began in my parent's house now lives on in our home. Whenever somebody leaves Kylie and Phillip race for either the door or window to wave. It doesn't matter if the person departing is a family member, friend, construction worker, or UPS driver, they all get a wave. From time to time people who don't know us that well will depart without glancing at the house to see the two little blonde children waving frantically and blowing kisses. They don't know what they're missing.

This morning as I left my parent's house after dropping off the kids I drove slowly past the front door with my arm out the window waving. My little waving committee did not disappoint, they were gathered in the front door of the house, with Kylie and Phillip in front and my Mom in back holding Bella. All of them were waving and blowing kisses with radiant smiling faces, it was such a beautiful sight it made my heart ache.