My life, such as it is, has been plagued recently with misfortunes. This is not a complaint; I thoroughly accept that good stuff happens, bad stuff happens, get over it. Yet though I look forward to Thanksgiving, I find myself....lacking the meaning of it, I guess, because of recent happenings.
My family....Family is awfully subjective. Do you define family through blood? Through emotion? Through law? As of late, i've found myself questioning the word "family" to have anything to do with blood or law. Do I consider my older brother to be "family" because he's my brother? Yes, even though my feelings for him are not very pleasant. I may consider my brothers. my father, my mother as family....but the outside relatives are dwindling as to who I call family.
My grandfather I consider family because he is a good man, even though his current state has degraded him to a passing shadow of what he was, and I pray for a swift and peaceful passing for him. Grandmother Harding I loved dearly, and she passed away some time ago. Grandmother Park....I can't consider her family. Her true nature has revealed itself to be less than kind, and so materialistic as to put aside the pain and suffering and family for her own concerns. It has come to pass that she considers My little brother and I.....the lesser grandsons, in favor of my older brother. This has little bearing on my feelings for her, yet I can't really understand her reasoning for such a belief, that my older brother is better than myself because he is older.
I have One aunt on each side that is tolerable and hasn't alienated themselves, yet....
Aunt Nene...is much like Grandmother Park, though not as intolerable. She cares, but is materialistic as well and that bothers me. Aunt Dana is much the same, very materialstic and a little bigoted, but she has kindness and caring within her.
Do I consider these two as family? Aunt Dana yes, but Aunt Nene I know so little and have met so infrequently I can't really, truly, consider her family.
Then there is a person I know, who is coming back from navy Bootcamp probably this very day. This guy is a kind and caring individual, who helped my family tremendously when my father underwent heart surgery, and his kindness has impressed me. I dare consider him an unofficial brother, for he certainly enjoys the company of my family moreso than his own,and his demeanor is akin to mine in terms of caring moreso about people than material. I consider him family, despite he has no relation to us.
So what is the definition of Family? Am I Right that it lies not in blood but in the person? Am I wrong? What purpose do these thoughts have? Questions...Questions....