Family is such a hot button topic for me that I have to get this one out there first. If we all defined 'Family', we would come up with incredibly different answers as to what exactly Family is to us. For me, Family are the biological people in my life and of course, the people we married and the Families we marry in to. I have friends that are 'like' Family, but if it came down to it and I had to choose between my blood relatives and my Family friends, I'd always choose Family. I'm weird like that, I guess.
I've encountered many people who feel it's ok to call someone else 'Mom' or 'Dad', and I admit, at one time, I was the same way...for a short while. I eventually realized that if I did that, then how special could my 'Mom' and 'Dad' really be? For me, referring to anyone other than my biological parents as 'Mom' and 'Dad' would in fact, be my way of absolutely replacing them in my life with someone else, because to me, 'Mom' and 'Dad' aren't just words, they are everything.
I'm also the kind of person that doesn't believe that once you've been married and gotten a divorce, that man (or woman) that you spent however many years with, had kids with and all that cool stuff is no longer your Family. To me, they are Family for always. Why? Well, once someone is part of your Family, you can't just wack them off like a rotting appendage. They deserve the continued love and respect of Family until they decide to walk away from that...and for me, I have to wonder, why would anyone want to do that?!
We all have our issues with our Family members. Sometimes, we get along and most times we don't see eye to eye on even the simplest of issues, BUT, we are still Family. Many of us have cut from our lives, certain Family members due to arguments or disagreements, but they are still Family. Family isn't something that you can just block or delete off your Facebook, or outright ignore...we can't replace all our DNA and change who we are or where we come from and we can't erase those we have permanently let into our lives as Family.
Family, just is...so get used to it.
*This of course, doesn't apply to people who have taken advantage of or abused you or the Family.
How true this is. Great job, baby!!
ReplyDeleteWELL, I too have alot to say,LOL. I agree with you about 80%, missy; however, I feel you can be a family member to someone you are not of the same dna. I think that sometimes people don't realize the real meaning of family.Family is defined as two parents and their children all family under one house hold, but apples, oranges, bannanas, grapes, and watermelon are all very different yet they are considered a family of fruits HEE HEE HEE , so in that said family is what one persons feels is very dear to them and of value to that person. You are very right you can NOT pick and choose your DNA family but you can pick and choose who you have in your house bonding with you and creating a family cocktail.LOL I am very sure you get what I am saying LOL. You guys are like my customer family LOL.... Not every customer knows my life story in the last past Ummm Yeah a long time ....HEE HEE
ReplyDeleteExactly! We have actual 'Family' and those who are 'considered Family'. At times, it becomes easy and convenient for people to show their loyalty to those 'considered Family', because those are usually the ones that tell us what we want to hear, as opposed to those that we have differences of opinion with or with whom we are personally accountable.
ReplyDeleteMy point being, that although we may not like the way our Family is structured or what they have to say to us, we have no choice in the matter...no matter how many times we say and treat each other as if we are no longer Family. DNA doesn't lie.