The Importance of Family
We don’t get to choose them, we often neglect them, we cherish them during the holidays and often when its too late…They are our Family.
In 1951 a young couple married after only knowing each other over the course of a summer. The couple married at twenty and eighteen years old. Sixty-Six years later through the grace of God they are still married. From their blessed union they have six daughters, eighteen grandchildren, and seventeen great-grandchildren. Now, in their eighties they spend their time in reflection of a blessed life lived.
Growing up my mother always expressed to my brothers and myself that we were always going to be each others bestfriends. At the time, this could’ve have been furtherest statement from the truth. As grown men we often go periods without communication but the esscence of life and living for a purpose from our up-bringing keeps us in touch with what life’s burdens lay upon us. We now realize, when it comes to our roots and up-bringing, we know each other more in depth than others will ever comprehend.
“Am I my brothers keeper?”
YES! Through times both good and bad, the fact of the matter is, that yes we are responsible for each others well-being spiritually, mentally and physically all inclusively. To uplift each other and leave each other better than our last interaction.
“I am because we are”- African Proverb
In a family, we are similar to a hand. Each person representing a finger but when closed as tight and as solid as a fist they represent a family sticking together. The short comings of one person is a reflection of the lack of support that they collectively were given. Instead of attempting to out preform and one up each other, we ought to as a collective group encourage each other to aspire after exceeding our full potential.
Potential is like covering one’s eyes. If given love, support, confidence one eye is reveiled and opened to possibilities. Only with the support of family can we receive full sight of our capabilities allowing us to reach our greatness. There is a confidence from the LOVE that only a family can provide. A family provides the chance to be nurtured, loved and disciplined from birth can one truly help you find your true worth to discovering yourself and your passion. It is our family we turn to often for times of comfort from confusion, mistrust, heartbreaks. Our family is our first friends, counselors and often times enemies. We don’t get to choose our family but we get to choose our friends.
“You don’t always have to share blood to be family.”
Friendship is essential to our existence as human interaction not only calls for but begs for it. We are found to experience things at a higher level of enjoyment when experiencing it with someone we care about.
We often deal with life altering events that affect our outlook on our environment and the way we process information for future experiences. Having someone to help process our emotions which are chemicals in our body that seen neurological signals that develop into what we call feelings. All of us require a way for those feelings to process fully. There are many different methods of how to process feelings one of the most effective is the Vision Pursue method of SEE, separate, embrace and evaluate. Allowing one to realize that these chemicals reactions is just that the production of chemicals based on a situation that invoked its release. Embracing the feelings of sadness, depression, frustration and aggression and allowing them to guide one back to their center of a peaceful mind state. Evaluation of how to better deal with such emotions that allow one to leave your center of a peaceful mind state and how to in a positive way guide one’s self back into a centered state.
We choose our family, those we decided to share in the betterment of each other spiritually, mentally and physically. Our choice is to discover how we choose to identify those we believe are not only worthy of our unwavering love, support and dedication but also worthy of theirs.
That couple who decided in 1951 to dedicate themselves to God first and then to each other unwaveringly through mountains and valleys. They decided to create a family centered around love and committment, to God, to each other, to support, to encourage and most of all to aspire to inspire every member of the family to exceed their full potential. I am the grandchild of that dedicated couple. It is from their walk with the Most High and continued out pour of Love that I’ve come to understanding of what a family and what a family looks like.
