# What does Family Mean to you?



## Dorothy

To me family is very important and I am very thankful to have a loving and caring yet sometimes annoying family. My family is not perfect but I would not change them for anybody. We have our problems just like any other family, and sometimes we say things we don't mean. But that is ok, because, we always make it right because our love is unconditional.  I'm not going to lie there are some family members that always know just how to get at you, but you gotta love them.  My family is my Life.

How do you feel about your family?


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## SeaBreeze

We don't have children, and most of my immediate family has passed before me.  I have a sister that I love dearly, who lives out of state, so we don't see each other often, just the occassional phone call or email, and birthday/Christmas cards or gifts.  Most other relatives are far away, and we just exchange cards a couple of times a year.

Our family always got along well with each other, no harsh words or fighting, so things were good when everyone was together, and I have a lot of fond memories of days gone by. :sentimental:


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## irene54

They ,mean the world to me.


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## FishWisher

I grew up in a family where we all got along pretty well, but sometimes there would be shouting matches over religion or politics. How foolish.

My twin sis married into a family 50 years ago that never, ever raised their voices. To this day I've never heard a harsh word from any of them. What an eye opener!

And dear Wifey's family is the same way. In the nearly 23 years I've been blessed to be a part of that family, I've never heard them argue or fuss at one another. Every family gathering is a time of joy and is always pleasant. I am soooo lucky! I appreciate family now more than ever.


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## blak8

My family is most important to me.Often laugh with them, play with, talk to.Family always helps me.I love my family


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## coffe

What family means to me is love and someone that will always be there for you through the good times and the bad. It is about encouragement, understanding, hope, comfort, advice, values, morals, ideals, and faith. These things are all important to me because it makes me feel secure and happy inside regardless of what is going on in my life.


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## That Guy

This is gonna sound weird but . . . I've always wanted close friends and family and have little of either.  Growing up as the middle child and only son, I was pretty much ignored unless there was yelling at me to be done.  My older sister was more of a mommy than Mom and I love her dearly but I'm lousy at keeping in touch.  The great thing about her is she understands that and lets me be me.  I wanted to raise a family when I was married but we fought more than we loved and had just one child.  My son is a great guy and lives far away.  I always look forward to our phone conversations.  God, we had fun together when he was a little guy.  I think that really formed our solid bond . . . even through those awful teenage years.  Funny thing now that he's all grown up . . . he gives me very wise advice!

I know I'm not easy to know so the people who accept me as I am are very dear.


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## SifuPhil

That Guy said:


> This is gonna sound weird but . . . I've always wanted close friends and family and have little of either.  Growing up as the middle child and only son, I was pretty much ignored unless there was yelling at me to be done.  My older sister was more of a mommy than Mom and I love her dearly but I'm lousy at keeping in touch.  The great thing about her is she understands that and lets me be me.  I wanted to raise a family when I was married but we fought more than we loved and had just one child.  My son is a great guy and lives far away.  I always look forward to our phone conversations.  God, we had fun together when he was a little guy.  I think that really formed our solid bond . . . even through those awful teenage years.  Funny thing now that he's all grown up . . . he gives me very wise advice!
> 
> I know I'm not easy to know so the people who accept me as I am are very dear.



This /\/\/\  

All of my family is gone except two sons, only one of whom I stay in irregular touch with. His wedding in June will be the first time I've actually seen him in about 3 years. We keep in "once-in-a-blue-moon" touch via Facebook.

My other son has been "lost" to me -  my ex- has pretty much turned him against me and I haven't seen or heard from him in 12 years.


... pathetic, I know.


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## That Guy

SifuPhil said:


> This /\/\/\
> 
> All of my family is gone except two sons, only one of whom I stay in irregular touch with. His wedding in June will be the first time I've actually seen him in about 3 years. We keep in "once-in-a-blue-moon" touch via Facebook.
> 
> My other son has been "lost" to me -  my ex- has pretty much turned him against me and I haven't seen or heard from him in 12 years..
> 
> 
> ... pathetic, I know.



Very sad how relationships can so easily be torn apart.  I've been done with my younger sister for years since she stabbed my older sister and I in the back when our father died.  Cold.


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## pchinvegas

The family I grew up in was beyond dysfunctional, they were not close. I have made it my goal as an adult to keep my family connected although we are miles apart. The family I have close by are irreplaceable. We do a lot together.


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## That Guy

I'm happy to hear you learned that you wanted to do otherwise with your family as an adult.  My dad was career Navy; a good but very tough man.  I remember thinking as a boy that when I grew up I was going to be nice.  Well, many, many years later while writing a paper for a class in graduate school on parenting, my son (at about 15) was rushing in and out of the house up the stairs to his room and back down (he's a fleet-footed Gemini for what that's worth).  On one hurried trip, he blasted past me and asked what I was working on.  I told him a paper on parenting.  On his way back out the door, I asked how I'm doing and he answered, "Great."  I asked why and, over his shoulder and out the door, he said, "Because you're nice."  VIOLA!


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## SifuPhil

That Guy said:


> Very sad how relationships can so easily be torn apart.  I've been done with my younger sister for years since she stabbed my older sister and I in the back when our father died.  Cold.



Yeah, I know THAT feeling as well. I had an aunt - my father's sister - who showed up to his funeral dressed like a rag-picker, and whose first (loud) words were "WHEN ARE THEY READING THE WILL?"

I, and the rest of my family, disowned her on the spot.


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## Sassycakes

I was very lucky having the family I have. My parents both came from large families,and _ I _was lucky to have  many many cousins and we all got along great. The only bad think about it was when I had to lose them too soon. Now my family is my hubby ,children and grandchildren and they are my hearts. They mean the world to me. My sister is my dearest friend I love her children like they were my own. On my Husbands side of the family I am blessed that we are all very close. I am a very lucky person.:love_heart:


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## Redd

My family is best avoided. I stick with my friends.


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## Ameriscot

I grew up with a huge extended family.  We spent time with distant cousins, great aunts and uncles, on both sides of the family etc etc.  The only one left of the 'senior' generation is one aunt.  I miss many of them, especially my mom. 

I have 3 siblings and we get along well even though we are very different.  All 3 have visited me here in Scotland, and one brother and his family visited us in Uganda.  Last Sept. we (hubbyand my sister) did a trip to RI/MA/CT from Michigan.  This brother lives in RI.  That brother and my sister came to visit together in Scotland 3 years ago and we had a great time.  

We visit Michigan every summer, usually for a month.  One of my sons lives there and he had 2 daughters.  So the most important part of the visit is seeing my granddaughters.  

Yes, family is very important!


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## jujube

We now have five generations of my family still alive.  I'm certainly closer to some of them than others, but overall I think I have a great family.


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