Nesting

It was cold this morning, the first day I put on gloves to go outside. We had a big rain last week, some of the trees have turned gold or red. If I didn't realize it before, I know it's fall now because we turned on the heat yesterday instead of relying on one more sweater indoors.

This is the season when the stores put out the holiday decorations, the Food Bank puts more barrels at the grocery store door, daylight dwindles and the birds overhead fly their formations South.

This year it's also the season for what I'm calling Re-Nesting. We don't expect it in the U.S., do we? The rule used to be like the story of the 3 Little Pigs: parents kick the children out of the home when they turn 18. Other countries expect the Full Nest, with in-laws, grandparents, grand kids, cousins, married daughters and sons all under one roof. Let's add to the crowd our children's friends, and friends of friends, who may have lost jobs or be between rentals. Recently our living room has looked more like a sports bar, with an assemblage of young men watching the Warriors or the Raiders. We bake oven-loads of potatoes to feed them all and keep the vegetarian house warm. We get the cots and mats out of the shed for the extra overnight drop-ins.

The result? A lot more fun. And ... more disagreements. As foreclosures mount, jobs decline, rentals stay high, then forced togetherness increases. If Re-Nesting continues to be a trend, then we should all advocate for the return of required Conflict Resolution programs in the schools. I also think that all of us over 18 should take Conflict Resolution or Chore Sharing Certification as a job requirement - like having a social security card.