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What is Family?

Christina Souza Ma

I was really moved to write this as it has been on my mind lately since I have been working with my 91-year-old uncle.

Funny how I have had many interesting comments since taking him under my care.

“Is he your father’s brother?”
“Is he your mother’s brother?”

No he is neither, he is actually my father’s cousin by adoption.

“So why are you taking on this burden when he is not even direct family?”

I find it very interesting how so many, although not all, in our society view this situation as a burden.

So I ask you. . .who do you consider family?
What do you see as parameters to this title?

I had been told growing up that “blood is thicker than water”, meaning that blood relations will always be there for you and to support you.

What I have found to be true, however, is that it does not matter if one is related by blood or not.

I have wonderful friends (who I consider family) that have supported me through the years with their love, honesty, and compassion. They have stayed by me through the ebb and flow of life, just as I have been there for them. They know more about me than my own blood relatives.

Yet I am very blessed to have a wonderful immediate family who are very close and respectful of one another. Many cannot say the same in this world today.

We have built an incredible community of individuals at YogaHub, many of whom I would call “family”. Would I do for them what I am doing for my uncle? The answer is yes.

What and who is family to you?

Something to consider before it is possibly too late and you don’t have precious moments to share with those individuals.

[tags]blood is thicker than water, what is family, blood relatives, my uncle, adapted family[/tags]

Author: Christina Souza Ma

Christina has lived many lives – from professional Cosmetologist, L’Oreal’s Technical Commercial Director of South East Asia, Hair and Make-up designer behind the camera, to Actor and Body worker. Many years ago, Christina had a vision to create an entity that would

3 Responses to “What is Family?”

  1. Very interesting. It is a little odd how people in the US don’t particularly value the older generation. People do see them as a burden, and the first choice is to always push that “burden” on to others or into a formal care setting. I’ve been volunteering with some immigrants lately and that was one thing they all said was so different in the US – that we toss out the young and toss out the old.

  2. Ah yes, so interesting. I was brought up in a 3 generation household and as my grand parents became more frail my Mother looked after in the home with help from community nurses.
    So when she died it was easy for me to decide to take in my Great Aunt who had lived with and looked after my Mother. I think my sons then in their teens gained much from being in this different 3 generation household. I too gained much from her wisdom and lighter take on life.
    I know it’s not always easy to do this caring and there are certainly times when we do need help or to allow our loved ones to go into residential care but we lose some of our humanity when we regard this simply as duty.
    love and light
    Ruth

  3. jian says:

    . .like you i also treasure my family as well as my friends. .
    through the years we stayed strong and even getting more stronger with my bonding with them. .their are both a big big blessing from above to me..
    tnx MALAGKIT GURLZ. .to my family as well. .

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