My Last Name

There is a song by Dierks Bentley called 'My Last Name.' The chorus says:

"Passed down from generations, too far back to trace
I can see all my relations, when I look into my face
May never make it famous, but I'll never bring it shame
It's my last name"

My last name is Taylor. I come from a very large clan of Taylors in southern Mississippi. When I look in the mirror I am reminded of who I am and where I come from. I look just like my dad, who looks just like his mom. This meaning I look just like my grandmother and so many other members of our large Taylor family.

My grandmother is 90 and a half years old. She had seven children, who all married. Between those seven children, my grandmother had 22 grandchildren. As of now only 6 have no gotten married (2 of those are engaged at the moment). And between the 22 grandchildren there are 39 great-grandchildren. Currently 2 of the great-grandchildren are married and there is one great-great-grandchild. If you add all those numbers together and include spouses there are currently 93 members of the Taylor family.

I love the Taylor family. I am a Taylor. It has indeed been passed down from generations, even more generations than the five that are currently alive. And I can indeed see all my relations when I look into my face. I see my dad. I see my 90 year old grandmother. And I see so many other of my Taylor family members.

Tomorrow I am traveling to southern Mississippi to be with my Taylor family. My grandmother is not doing well and is not expected to make it through the weekend. It's funny how things like this make us so much more attached to our families. I mean I do love my Taylor family and long to be with them more than I ever am, but in this time I want to be there now. I don't really want to wait until tomorrow afternoon. There is something about being with your family who knows, understands, and is going through the same thing with you.

"I may never make it famous, but I'll never bring it shame..... my last name".... until then......