Roll On
The Volunteer State | ©️ 2025 Alicia Kae Miller
The last couple of weeks of May were intense.
As Memorial Day weekend approached, I steeled myself for a 50th wedding anniversary that doubled as a family reunion in Nashville, TN.
To say that I was anxious is an understatement. Like many families, mine has diverse political, religious, and philosophical beliefs, so I envisioned an eventual row that would likely have me hightailing it back to the airport to hop the next flight back to Austin.
However, as we honored five decades of marital bliss and celebrated precious Miller family time, the gladiator-style verbal sparring never manifested. Instead, what occurred was an intimate gathering that marked a decades-old breakthrough in communication between a handful of family members, including myself.
Family dynamics can be regressive, but I am delighted to share that this get-together proved transcendent as we collectively focused on what matters most: a heartfelt reunion, front, and center rather than one relegated to the backseat of a minivan.
On my flight back home, I thought about how a river never allows anything to block its natural course, regardless of what stands in its way. While its velocity may speed up or slow down, it always finds a way to continue flowing.
As my brother and I exchanged yesterday, "let's keep talking honestly and openly," and while we will likely continue to agree to disagree, where we can where we can find consensus is in the fact that regardless of rough weather, WE ARE FAMILY; thus, our water mark is, and has always been, very high.
Until we meet again, live and let it be.❤️
Yours in Solidarity, -akm
June 2025