Pleasantly Surprised

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My relationship with my family has never been as good as I would like it to be. Oftentimes my older siblings have daunted me to the point of making me a nervous wreck. They have a tendency to ignore my thoughts and ideas and make me feel like an afterthought. After all, I'm just a little kid, right? LOL My younger sister and I never look forward to any family gathering because we are so left out...at the gatherings as well as the rest of the time...and we always feel like we really are not wanted there, just need to be there to make the family "complete" on the surface. Despite all of this, however, I seem to have made some positive impressions on some of my nieces and nephews. Last week my sister's oldest daughter got married. Normally I would never even consider going on a trip all the way to Utah (I live in Oregon and it is an 8.5 hour drive) for several reasons. First, the trip alone is hard on me, physically due to my arthritis and fibromyalgia. Unless I am able to lie down most of the way, there is no way I can make it. The other consideration, of course, is financial. I certainly don't have the funds to travel that distance, no matter what kinds of discounts I manage to get. But sometimes my family surprises me and this was one of those times. My niece was insistent that she wanted me there for her wedding so her mother worked it out with another sister of ours to get me there. Since my sister drove, I was able to lie down in the back seat most of the way, minimizing my pain. She also did not ask for any funds to help with gas or anything. I have a wonderful sister. Of course, this is the same sister who has been helping me fix up my trailer and put my windows in. Once I got there, my niece was ecstatic to see me, which was a real boost to my morale. Although my body caved on me, everyone was so helpful that I was able to make it through the ceremony, luncheon and reception. I had a lovely time chatting with my niece and her new husband and came home with a wonderful memory that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Sometimes family, even when you don't think they care much, can surprise you and they really come through. All in all, I am so glad I was able to go on this trip. It went a long way toward healing my relationships with several members of my family and it was good to see some members that I had not seen in many years. I will always be grateful for the kindnesses that my family showed me while on this trip and it was well worth the pain I suffered. Have you had any experiences like this? Or is your family one of those lucky close-knit ones that never have any rifts?