Time To Get Real

Ugh...Family deaths.

This year has been extremelly bumpy for my family. Two of my aunts were diagnosed with cancer, and one passed away this summer sooner than expected. My grandpa was also diagnosed with cancer, and he passed away Tuesday afternoon.

To top off this suckfest, this has often brought me into the awkward field of associating with people I wouldn't normally associate with. Namely, distant family.

I know, I know. Everyone who has a big family knows there are certain cousins(or whatever) that you don't talk to on a regular basis, usually due to difference of opinion, or the need to maintain your sanity. I just think that the unspoken estrangement should just continue on for special occasions.

This may sound harsh, but I'm a pretty straight-forward person. If you haven't talked to someone in over twenty years, no postcard, not even a generic Christmas card...then why fake your deep emotional connection to this person at their funeral?

I say this because I've watched my grandfather deteriorate over the years, and very few people from his side of the family called to check up on him, let alone visit. And now these people, these strangers are going to be at the funeral. What am I supposed to do? Pretend to be happy that they're there for moral support? The argument has been made that I won't have to see these people again once the funeral is over with, but I wonder why I should have to put up with seeing them at all. They didn't think it was important enough to communicate with my grandfather when he was healthy and alive, why is it important for them to see his remains?