We Are Family

Yes, we are family. Well, maybe not everyone reading this is part of my genetic family, but you get the idea.

Each one of us has a genetic family. We shared the same parents. Yet our memories and our experiences with those two people are probably different. We shared the same siblings. Again, our memories and our experiences with our siblings will be different than those of our siblings.

We come from a long line of ancestors. Some of us have a need to learn more about our ancestors. Some of us not only don't have a need, but don't understand those who do have that need.

We are who we are. Each of us is different. Each of us places value on different things and people.

We are family, but we aren't clones of each other.

Some in our family can walk away or ride away from the rest of the family and never look back at the family they left behind. Did they do so out of anger, frustration or need? We'll never know.

Some families have rich family histories passed down from one generation to the next.

Other families have to dig long and hard to find any information past a handful of generations.

Honestly, finding the stories, finding the long forgotten ancestors doesn't make us a family with the descendants of our shared ancestors. It will make us friends and feel like family with some, but not with all.

You build families exactly like you build friendships. Spending time together. Talking. Listening. Sharing your stories.

Sharing the same ancestors is a start to building a family, but it takes a lot more than shared blood to make a family. It takes the communication. The caring. The sharing. It takes time.

How does one take a group of people, from various generations, who share the same genetic background and make them into a family?

Time. Getting to know the members of the family present today. Until that happens, I'm not sure if the history of our shared ancestors is all that important.

Until we care about our extended family that's living today, it doesn't matter who begat whom.

We are family, but on so many levels, we aren't. We've let the passage of time and living our life interfere with our extended family.

Until you can share rich vivid, fond memories of those living today, there isn't much room for the rich history of those long gone.

We are family. Are you willing to be a part of my family? I hope so.