I was very much scared to see my family after all this time. I did wonder about what everybody would look like. I had no recent photos of my sibling or older relatives since most people of the older generation don't do Facebook.
People in Germany are very distrustful of FB in general. Only the younger generation seems to have found use for it while their parents talk about how silly it is and what a complete waste of time. Funny thing is, I knew a lot about my siblings children because we are connected via Facebook. I knew how tall they had grown, what their likes and dislikes are, while I had no clue how the older generation had changed. Hence my fear of the gap...
I suppose I can partly understand the critical view of Facebook older Germans have. Being cut off from the internet and not having access via phone or a computer, I felt very liberated and enjoyed the time with my family so much. No need to check messages. No interuptions. What I take as a lesson from this trip is, that it's good to put those things completely aside and wean yourself of the constant need to communicate and exchange information.
The second lesson I took with me, is that it doesn't matter what time does to us. There may be more gray hair and wrinkles but inside we remain the same person. So don't worry so much about your looks and what other people think. For the true beauty lies within each person. The eyes keep their sparkle through the ages. From teenager to old lady in the resthome, we remain the same. If you meet a loved one after not seeing them for a long time you will recognize each other.
It a beautiful beautiful thing.
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