Family Is Everything
Written By: London Winters
Did you read the title and get the warm fuzzies, or did you cringe? Either reaction isn’t adverse, but I would like to reiterate that family is everything. What most people fail to realize is that God established family. So, anything and everything that can separate family, if allowed, it will. This is precisely what the enemy wants.
Fix you a nice hot cup of coffee or tea, and let’s talk about the nuclear family. That is, two parents (or a single parent) and the children (or child). The family is the base for future generations. Do you realize that this family is your first family? Before you married and started having children of your own, your mother, father, and siblings grew up right beside you.
Your sibling (s) was your first friend (s), your first fight, argument, the one you’d test out jokes on, your first opponent in anything, tell your secrets to eat dinner with, etc. You grow with your parents and your siblings from birth to young adulthood. Then you start going separate ways, whether it’s college, moving into your first apartment, getting married, moving to another state, or whatever the case may be. Your parent (s) were the ones that took care of the family by ensuring that you were clothed and fed. Your parents are fabulous jewels to your world, and you won’t realize it until they’re gone (that’s another topic for another day).
Knowing this about family, why are so many people against their family? People don’t want to take out time for the first family. I have heard people call other people their family, saying that their “friends” are more like family. Maybe in your mind, they are. But guess what? They’re not! Do you know that your family was chosen specifically for you? Even when you marry, you still have a family.
Trust me, I understand that some family members can be a hand full, but they are still your family. I know some can be toxic, but they are still your family. Sometimes it is best to stay separated, but it’s still your family. Do not say anything negative about your family to others. Whatever is going on, speak life and positivity over your family. If you haven’t talked to a family member in a while, call them and say I was thinking of you. It doesn’t have to be a long conversation, especially if it will start an argument.
You haven’t called your mother, father, or siblings in a while? Your excuse is that they don’t contact you. Oh well, you be the bigger person and call them. Love should always be love, no matter what. Our parents are miraculous gifts, and if it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be here. Parents are chosen for us. There is no perfect parent (s), just like no ideal child, sibling, cousin, uncle, aunt, grandmother, etc. We are humanly flawed, and families will have conflict sometimes, but nothing that bad where you are unwilling to come back together.
Are you still angry about something your parent did many years ago? Well, get over it. Just think about this for one moment. Say that your parents got pregnant with you at 18 years old and your parent (s) did or said something to you when you were five years old, and you are still angry about it. Maybe they took you to your grandma for her to raise you or an auntie. You are full-grown now, and you are still angry with your parent (s).
Do you know that you are angry at the 23-year-old version of your parent (s)? Whatever age they were when they hurt you, it is a younger version of them. Let go, forgive them and yourself for holding on to whatever took place. Free yourself and free them.
Talk about the incident, tell them what has been eating at you for years. Get an understanding; maybe they do not know what they did because it wasn’t intentional. This same rule is for any other family members. Cherish them because you won’t be able to say what needs to be told once they are gone from this world. If you love someone, you let them know that you love them by your actions and words.
Don’t believe the hype; your family is everything.
