US LITTLE KIDS — Sharon Mark Cohen

In the early hours of December 8, 2022, I shouted to my husband in the nearby room, “Martin is 70 today!” My cousin Martin is seven months my senior. I added with a choked laugh, “Us little kids!” My husband moaned, “I know.”

It seems incredible. I look around and see the people I’ve known all these years getting “up there” and try to stay amused by the thought, or it will be overwhelming.

Since my blog post on May 26, 2020, Our Brothers Are All In Their Seventies, my eldest brother turned 81 on December 3, 2022. The next in line celebrated his 80th on April 18, 2023 (see my blog post, 80, at sharonmarkcohen.com, dated April 18, 2023).

The youngest of my three older brothers and my husband are now in their 70s, and I am rapidly approaching my 70th year. The realization of my next milestone becomes clear yearly when my “kissing cousin” Martin has a celebration seven months prior.

With a smile, I think of the silent home movies my Uncle Jerome took, showing his eldest son Martin and me hugging and kissing when they visited. I vividly recall looking out the window from our second floor apartment in Roselle, New Jersey, seeing their car approach and bellowing, “Martin’s here, Martin’s here!” My excitement peaked as playtime was about to begin.

Now, it’s been nearly 20 years since I’ve seen Martin. The last time we were together was at my daughter Rina’s bat mitzvah in April 2003. Currently, my “older” cousin is living in Texas. In the picture of him with his George Washington School in Hillside classmates, he’s wearing a bowtie, sitting in the third row, third from the left.

While, sadly, 21 of our first cousins are deceased, my husband Arnee and I have 35 living first cousins. No doubt all AARP card carriers, the brood ranges in age from 59 to 89.

“Us” little kids are now the seniors in the family. My blog posts are one way of keeping our unique family history alive while instilling sage advice. The recorded stories are for reading pleasure and, most importantly, for future generations in the family. Here’s to the memories!