Celebrating the launch of one of our own tends to stir images of a classic black and white movie…or a Norman Rockwell painting. A large extended family gathers on the front porch of the ancestral home as a George-Bailey-looking character glances back over his shoulder one last time before setting off to make his mark in the world. The women blow kisses, waving hankies. Brothers, sisters, and cousins whoop and holler, while the older men stand silent — the poignancy of the moment etched on their faces.
