What does the word “family” mean to you? Most of you reading this will think of blood relation or a heritage tree. Maybe your mom, dad, and siblings come to mind as well. Family to you may mean the people who raise you or who share your last name. That’s normal. That’s what we are supposed to believe. The definition of family is, “a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household.” Is that what we actually associate with the word? Under this definition. .would my college roommates be considered family? I mean we live together in the same household, right? Some may have a different perception of the word altogether; challenging the popular meaning.
Challenging the connotation of just blood relation as family. We may think of close friends, significant others, teams, roommates, and the list can go on and on. Family is something that is such a value to us today; and we should value the most important people in our lives. Because the word family has such a beautiful meaning, such a pretty ring to it. Family is view at as happy and loving – and we should include the people in our lives that radiate these characteristics. I believe different and challenging thoughts are so unique and needed in a world that happens to just follow the crowd. We should seek happiness in our lives no matter how different it may be to society. We should follow happiness where ever it takes us.
I want to change and show others my meaning of the word family. Family to me means caring, unconditional love, and support. Yes, my mom, dad, and sister fit these characteristics perfectly but there as so many others in my life that do too. The people in my life that supported me and my sister through rough times, though they may not share my lineage – they treated and cared for us like family. My boyfriend and his family are just as caring and loving to me, even though they didn’t raise me, I consider them family. The youths in my fellowship group come from all different backgrounds, we are each other's support systems. We are there for each other and never let anyone forget that. Even though I met them a year ago, that type of support and love is so rare and that’s why I consider them family. To me, the beautiful “ring” and meaning in the word are found in these people. Family comes first people say and these people in my life come first before anyone else.
When you ask me who my family is, I couldn’t respond in one sitting. There would be way too many names I would rattle off to you. I would tell you my sister, mom, dad. I would tell you my best friend since the 7th grade. I would tell you my boyfriend of 3 years and his family. I would tell you the people I met only a year ago who have walked the same path as me. Point is, it doesn’t matter who I choose to call my family. Family is the people who you care about and love and they turn around and give that same respect back to you. Why should people go about life with a hate for the family you did not choose to be born to? Break the thoughts and definition of the world and give define life for yourself. You, and everyone else, deserves that much in this big, beautiful, and hectic world.
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