A Ritual of Welcome for In-laws
 By
Henry D. Landes
Issue 3 1998
1998 is a big year for marriage in the Landes family. Last month
my parents, Henry & Anna Landes, celebrated their 60th Wedding
Anniversary, and next month Jane and I will celebrate our 30th.
On April 25 our oldest daughter, Andrea, was married to Steve Bauman.
It was a beautiful spring day, the wedding ceremony was joyful while
tearful, and the evening reception was celebrative.
The day before the wedding, we put a new twist on the meaning of
a "prenuptial agreement." After a hearty breakfast at
our family's favorite cafe, Jane, Andrea, Katrina (our younger daughter)
and I flipped through our family photo albums as we reminisced about
growing up "Landes" so that Steve would have a better
understanding of his new in-laws.
At the end, each one of us told Steve what we appreciated about
his being a part of our life and our family. As a momento of our
covenant with Steve, we presented him with an official (framed,
of course) Certificate of Welcome which includes the "Landes
Coat of (Welcoming) Arms" and the quote from the Book of Ruth:
"Your people will be my people..." signed by each of us.
In a Family Business column some time ago, Ivan Lansberg wrote:
"The best way to enlist the loyalty and support of in-laws
is not to think of them as 'in-laws.' Business families do a better
job of managing the relationship when they treat in-laws as full-fledged
family members whose opinions and attitudes are valued."
Yes, in-laws are different...thankfully. So a hearty welcome to
Steve AND to all of you in-laws who bring new vitality and perspectives
to our families.
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