FAMILY

A family is a group of one or more parents and their children living together as a unit.  But if this is your definition of a family you may just be selling yourself short.  There are some families that have many biologically related individuals, but are they truly a family?  You hear athletes referring to their team members as family, but are they truly a family.  Large groups that gather for religious or any common purpose call themselves family but are they truly a family? I believe you get my point.  I believe the aforementioned, "families," are families.  I believe the true family definition is all about selflessness and love.  It really doesn't matter whether they are biologically related or not.  It seems that individuals are pressured or forced to accept unequivocally that biological relationships trump any other relationships.  If you don't believe me, remember the age old belief that, "blood is thicker than water." For  those historians, this outdated belief is a medieval proverb in English that means that familial bonds will always be stronger than bonds of friendship or love.  The oldest record of this saying can be traced back in the 12th century in Germany.   From an enlightened perspective, boy did they have it all wrong!
 Does that mean that adopted children are less family than biological children? Or that a husband and wife are less family because there is not a biological connection? And thank heavens for that! Of course not.  The one size fits all definition of family doesn't really apply in the world today.  I come from a family of six siblings and I can honestly tell you that I am not close to 4 out of my 5 biological siblings.  We just really did not have much in common growing up.  In fact, I felt many times that I did not belong.  Not until I got much older and experienced family tragedies did I feel a closer connection to them.  However, that did not mean I did not love them.  It just put that old theory that blood is thicker than water in the toilet.  My wife has a sister that she too is not close to.  The flip side is, I have developed a connection to some friends who I call my brothers and sisters because of the love and selfless feelings I have towards them.  For me, long term happiness is more dependent on close  friendships that I have developed over the years, not based on biological bonds.  However, the exception being, my children. 
 Maybe I feel this way because I am enlightened  and spiritual.  But, I see things very different.  I believe individuals are raised to accept that biological relationships are the highest priority that exist.  For me, a spiritual connection to our source , the universe, is the highest, most sacred relationship that exists.  And the irony is that we all have this connection but most individuals ignore it.  Some intentionally, some just because they don't know about it, but it surely exist.  You see we came from somewhere and we're going somewhere once our stay on earth has expired.  You don't have to take my word for it but let me indulge you in some food for thought.  Who do you think keeps you alive when you're sleeping at night?  Who do you think keeps all your organs functioning perfectly, etc...? And, we must all be connected by that same source regardless of our biological relationships, religious beliefs, gender, color of our skin, sexual orientation, ethnicity, political beliefs, socio-economic status, education, zip code we reside in etc... It makes sense doesn't it?  Or do we really believe that since there are approximately 7 1/2 billion people on the planet that each one has a difference place or source that they came from. If you believe that, then stop reading and get yourself a good novel.  I see a world where eventually individuals will understand a deeper connection to all not just to their biological relationships.  Then my brothers and sisters, the world will experience true love for all.  Those who know me know I am not a religious person,  but I do know that humanity should be our race and love should be our religion.  I leave you with a poem on point.  "The day I changed, was the day I quit trying to fit into a world that never really fit me." Author unknown.  I would say that for me personally, the day I became enlightened, was the day I quit trying to fit into a way of thinking that never really fit me.
    Just a thought.
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