Dear Just Be: I am planning a family reunion for this summer. Any tips?

Planning a family reunion is a great way to see and catch up with family members that you haven't seen in years or for some, decades.

First tip: Be mentally prepared that not everyone is going to come or want to come. Focus your attention and fun on the people who can come and want to come. No sense in wasting your energy on someone and something that is out of your control.

Second tip: Create committees. Don't be the only one doing the planning because you won't be able to enjoy the event if you do this. Plus not having committees or even volunteers will lead to a disorganized event and unhappy family members create committees like food, activities, money, etc. There are software programs that you can purchase that will help keep you organized, but it is probably easier and less expensive to create your own checklist.

Third tip: Pick a location that is convenient. A location where majority of the family resides or is close to works best. Selecting a location that is hard to get to and expensive will cause more trouble than it is worth....trust me. It may sound fun to have a reunion in Rome, but there is more to discuss, organize and plan for than if you hold a reunion in your own backyard.

Fourth tip: Pick the right length of time for your reunion. If your family all lives in the same town or state having a one day activity is more than long enough. If your family members have to do some serious traveling to attend, then make the event a couple of days long.

Fifth tip: Plan and tell family members several months in advance so they can mark the event in their calendar and make arrangements to come.

Sixth tip: Don't plan too much. Let people have time to enjoy being with family not necessarily playing games or activities, but just enjoying their company. The other point with not planning too much again goes to people not wanting to do what you have planned. You will have gone to great lengths to plan fun activities and it will be for not. This can lead to you being resentful. Have ideas, and plan for a few things, but don't go much further than that.

Seventh tip: Enjoy the event. Take a moment or two to take it all in, the people, the food, the sights and sounds. This is the point of family reunions. To get to be with people you haven't been with for years and to appreciate that these people make up who you are and who your family is – for good or bad.