Family does not always mean blood ties
Family is the one who watches out for you and encourages you.
My grandfather used to remark that family will always be family. Yes, it will always be because we share blood, but the reality is that it is very tough to feel like one when they are not present.
I was born into a large family, with ten uncles and more than twenty relatives on only one side. And I’m sure many of us share that sentiment, because our grandparents were still among the ladies who gave birth to more than five children.
I’m overwhelmed when I think about my family tree because there are cousins, uncles, and relatives I’ve never met, making me wonder if they’re actually family or simply relatives.
For me, family is that core that seeks and shares time, wisdom, and love, in addition to sharing blood and DNA. It doesn’t matter if we only see each other once a year; thanks to social media and technology, we are always on the lookout, we see our children develop through images, and when the time comes to meet, it’s as if no time has passed.
But it hurts a lot when the family doesn’t want to share, doesn’t care, doesn’t know your children, and doesn’t want to be a part of it. One walks through life with the emptiness of home, hoping that their children will not resent it or endure the abandonment of their grandparents or uncles.
That is when the term “family” takes on a new meaning and is applied to people who, despite not sharing blood, welcome you into their home and accept you as one of their own; they are the friends who are always there, who know you better than your own cousins, who have seen your children since the day they were born and are now uncles by choice, who always ask if you need anything, and who you know will be able to assist you when you need it.
That is the family one selects and strives to preserve since it does good, adds up, and contributes far more than one’s own family.
