- November 5, 2024
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Since I’m the one who bought the TV, you would think that I would have some influence over what I watch on the TV. But not on Nov. 5.
That’s because while Nov. 5 means Election Day for most of the United States, it means Ellie’s birthday in the McMillan household. Therefore, the TV was occupied not with Electoral College maps but with The Legend of Zelda.
Both the election and Link’s adventures were put on hold for the lighting of candles. We stood around the kitchen island to sing, celebrating Ellie turning 15, and then ate chocolate cake. But we couldn’t avoid politics entirely — thanks to the youngest among us, who likes to be provocative.
“How could Trump be on the ballot when he’s committed 34 crimes?” said Luke, who is in first grade.
“Where did you hear about that?” I asked. “Cafeteria?”
Just as with Ellie’s birthday on Tuesday, the weekend also gave us a reprieve from election news, as we celebrated Kennedy’s birthday (she turned 10 on Nov. 2, making for a busy week for the McMillans). One of Kennedy’s birthday wishes also involved the TV, as she cast family videos for everyone to enjoy — especially videos of herself as a baby.
We all dutifully watched as the infant Kennedy learned to army crawl toward her mother’s cell phone in the middle of the family room floor nine years ago — only to be pulled backward by her brother Grant. Baby Kennedy, undeterred, army crawled toward the phone once again — only to be pulled backward by Grant once again.
To Luke, the video on the screen was pure comedy. He busted up laughing at the absurdity of his older siblings appearing even younger than he was now.
In another video, the family is willing Kennedy to take her first steps, but she’s not cooperating. She is passed back and forth between her mother and grandmother, both sitting a few feet away from each other on the carpet in that odd ceremony, adults with arms outstretched, while the infant almost walks but mostly falls in the direction of those outstretched arms. Kennedy’s older siblings, too young to be caught up with homework or phones as they might be now, are cheering in the video, thrilled to be witnesses to this moment in history.
Luke, who wasn’t born at the time the videos were recorded, was enthralled with the video yet again. By watching now with his siblings, Luke was actively inheriting the collective family memories, participating in them intimately despite the distance of time.
As the kids go to bed on Nov. 5, and I sit here alone, finishing my writing, I keep an eye on the election results — this moment of American presidential history being written in real time. But I can’t help but replay in my mind the home videos I have taken this weekend as well, videos of Ellie blowing out candles, and Kennedy opening presents, surrounded by their siblings, preserved in a history that most people across America won’t ever care about, but which to me is far more consequential than any vote on a ballot.
