Family Defined

Family In the English dictionary family is defined as- all the people living in the same house • a social unit consisting of parents and the children they rear • a group of people related by ancestry or marriage. When I think of the word family it means so much more to me than the dictionary defines. To me family is defined by its relationships and experiences. Families consist of relationships so deep one cannot appreciate its’ depth with just one glance. Families are often defined by their snapshot; you know the “picture perfect”-clothed in Sunday best snapshot. One may notice a perfectly placed bow here, a crooked tie there, and perfect white smiles across the board. What isn’t captured, or rather understood in the photograph are the many thoughts, memories, and love running thick through that family’s blood. Sure one may here the stories behind the picture, you know the ones that will stand the test of time, but the bonds that exist in a family are truly understood by its’ members only. It is what makes a family so unique and so special; connections shared and memories reminisced by its’ members. A family not only shares common ancestry or even a roof, they share dreams, goals, values, feelings, traditions, testimony, fears, and experiences.

A family is also defined by its’ experiences, the ups and downs, and how they cope and work together during those times. The experiences, both wonderful and difficult that a family endures together can create a bond that will strengthen with time. It is these very experiences that create the lasting relationships. Family members invest so much love, time, and energy into these relationships. It is the very reason we stick by each other through thick and thin. The knowledge we have that family members and relationships are eternal is a true blessing. Families are a divine gift.

"What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories." ~George Eliot