They say blood is thicker than water. For me, that hasn’t always been the case. Besides my immediate family, I’m not particularly close to my extended blood relatives. They haven’t particularly shown up the way I would have wanted them to over the years. However, that’s not the case with Uncle Mike. One of my father’s extended family members, he has been more of an uncle to me than the majority of my extended family. 

Originally introduced to each other in my teens, we met when our family vacation to England and he was our proverbial tour guide of the sites. Uncle Mike has the distinct ability where if you’re ever around him, there’s aura of humor and wit surrounding you. He gets along with virtually everyone he meets and is a life-of-the-party individual. It was such an incredible and fun-filled having him show us around London. 

Years later he made the trip to the states for my high school graduation. After a fantastic high school graduation party my dad, Uncle Mike and I would take a road trip across Chicago and Cleveland to visit some landmark spots of the good old USA. Once again plenty of laughs were had and shenanigans ensued including a stop at the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I’ve never really had a dull moment with him.

We kept in contact through the years by social media. There was a family wedding that he came down for in my college years, but unfortunately not a lot of in person contact thereafter. 

In the next few years, we had a falling out, for god knows what reason, and didn’t speak for years. This was an important lesson for me. I’m not one to hold grudges or anything like that so to lose someone I cared about hurt. There is a silver lining, though. While I was going through my engagement party list I thought of integral people in my life and he was without a doubt one of them. We reconciled, and our relationship is stronger than ever again. I’ll have the distinct honor of being reunited with my uncle for my wedding in a few years and I can’t describe how excited I am. Not just because we’ll be together again, but because we’ll get to bond and create new memories. Uncle Mike, as promised when we are reunited, we are getting drunk together.