Family Code
You know when you say a thing or use a word that only your own family knows about?
It can border on its own language sometimes. It’s this unique combination of made up words, new usages for existing ones and maybe even non verbal communication. After all, some much can be said with just a look between two people who love each other.
My marriage has made me notice this sort of “family code” all the more. Mainly because, I suspect, it’s brought my own family code into comparison and contrast with that of my wife’s.
Plus, my marriage has meant a creation of a brand new code between my wife and me. I’ve found the code we’ve developed is an amalgamation of my own family’s terms and unique word uses, my wife’s family’s, and quite a few of our own creation as partners.
A particular one struck me recently. My wife’s family has called the store Bed Bath & Beyond “Beyond Beyond” for as long as she can remember. This has carried over into our own life together.
We just used a few Beyond Beyond coupons to help outfit our new house with various odds and ends. As far we’re concerned, this department store chained as been renamed for good.
As I sit here and type this, I can’t help but think of this store without its family-altered name. And I have no doubt this will be passed on to our kids, maybe even their kids afterward. An odd and unnecessary renaming, to be sure, but one that might just carry on for generations.
