Half of who I am originated with the Carvers.
Rev. Ira and Edith bore 9 children and they took the Bible seriously and were fruitful and multiplied.
Their 9 children went on to 56 grandchildren.
The grandchildren outperformed their parents and there are now hundreds of us running around ... every single one fruitful and multiplying.
Surely God blessed Ira and Edith!
Certainly God blessed those of us with their blood running through our veins.
Yesterday a large collection of us gathered at the funeral of Aunt Bootsy's husband Jason.
Jason is the nicest person I ever met in my life.
His infectious smile, even when he was serious trying to understand something he didn't, melted your heart and today I can't imagine him not smiling.
He married into the Carvers but in no time at all ... you'd never know that Ira and Edith didn't run through his veins too.
We are an emotional, musical, faithful lot and yesterday we cried just to see each other again.
We touch one another with hugs and hands.
I got there late but my cousin Alison's wet eyes met mine and she grabbed my hand and we held on to each other in the procession outside of the Funeral Home.
Later, standing beside Jason's grave ... next to Ira and Edith's ... every single one of us paused to look at their markers, blink back tears, throw arms around each and not have to say a damn thing ... because we all understand.
The Carvers believe in the "Unclouded Day" ... a home far away where there are no storm clouds and the tree of life is in eternal bloom.
Every year or so we all gather together out in the country somewhere or at my Uncle Curtis' house on the Wilmington River to eat, tell stories, laugh and cry.
Jason's funeral was a lot like that.
Ever so slowly old Carvers are replaced by new ones but each has this uncanny feeling we'll all be getting together again on some unclouded day.
And if we're not ... well we live like we are.
It's a much better way to live.
