Second Cousins

Originally there were nine of us first cousins, all born between 1939 and 1949. Six remain. I'm the second oldest. We have among us thirteen children - the second cousins. They were born between 1964 and 1977. This weekend brought many of us together for a happy occasion - the wedding of M, one of the second cousins.

The bride is Russian. In this generation we have also added Chinese, Cuban, and Pakistani blood to the cousinly gene pool. It would have been relatively unusual (though not out of the question) for any of us first cousins to marry someone of another race or nationality. No longer is this the case. How many generations will it take for all these already blurring national distinctions to disappear entirely? This must be happening in families all over the United States.

The wedding took place in a beautiful part of Long Island. Z and I, along with daughter #1 (G), her husband (B) and daughter (C), who was the flower girl (groom's second cousin once removed), were guests in a 200-year old house with championship spaniels, ancestral antiques, and a free-form pool that had a waterfall, a natural stone diving board, and low-growing junipers cascading into the deep end. The reception was held at one of the oldest country clubs in the United States. We were entertained by costumed Russian dancers, and we dined on exquisite Russian fare: a complicated caviar appetizer, individual salmon coulibiac, perfect rare lamb chops.

Now Z and I are back in NJ. The newlyweds are honeymooning on the west coast. Cousins and second cousins have returned to Arizona, Vermont, Washington, Connecticut, and Massachussetts. There will be more togetherness next week.