People don't often realize the meaning of family until the family changes. You know, those changes that happen when children are born, milestones are reached, and loved ones pass on. In the short span of two years, my niece was born, my mother died, 15 months later my father passed, my son graduated from high school and then he moved to college. My family went from crowded holiday and birthday gatherings to memories of what used to be. I am now challenged with creating new memories and traditions while mourning the loss of my own. So, I say, family is the gift of time...share time, be there for one another, create those wonderful memories that can be cherished when the changes come.