FAMILY IS EVERYTHING
FAMILY IS EVERYTHING and EVERYTHING IS FAMILY! I love to share poetry that beautifully illustrates what I want to share. Here is one that does just that:
“FAMILY POEM”
Author Unknown
“There’s a certain kind of closeness that only families know,
It begins with childhood trust and increases as you grow.
It’s a very special feeling, to know your family’s there.
It’s a tie you can rely on, a bond you’ll always share.
As a member of this family, we know that we belong.
We’re proud to say we’re family, together we are strong.
Of all the blessings we may have, our FAMILY means the most.
And whether we live near or far, that bond will keep us close.”
Portia Y. Clare (far right) pictured with her Mom and Dad
I smile on the inside when I think of family! My family is very large. My Daddy had five brothers and five sisters, and My Mommy had four brothers and one sister. Cousins, and cousins, and cousins…OH MY!
As I reflect on my family, my mind is flooded with wonderful memories that make my heart fill with gratitude and thankfulness. Summer vacations were always wonderful because I went to visit my cousins in South Carolina and The Bahamas, or they came to visit me. I have beautiful memories of dressing alike, bowling, roller skating, golfing, swimming, visiting amusement parks, camping, birthday parties, cookouts, weddings, Sunday School and church, Sunday Family Dinners, school, staying up all night long, adventures through the woods, building and eating mud pies, building sandcastles at the beach and burying each other in the sand, wrapping Christmas presents, buying Christmas presents, cooking, setting up and breaking down for family gatherings, games, singing, dancing, talking on the telephone, car rides, bus rides, plane rides, train rides, fruit and vegetable picking, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Easter, 4th of July, Independence Day in The Bahamas, Junkanoo at Christmastime in The Bahamas, and so much more!
I LOVE MY FAMILY! I was born in the right family! We all were! Your family may be different from mine. Indeed, there are no two families alike. But that’s all right. It’s the right family for you. It’s the family that you need to become the best you that you can be. It is where you learn strength in hard times. It is what inspires your courage when fear arises. It is where you learn what true love looks and feels like. It is that safe place where you can be yourself, warts, and all, and know in your heart, that you are loved. It is that place where you learn resilience because you know that when you fall down you can go home to family and get back up again!
My Daddy, My Mommy, and me were known as The Three Musketeers in our family! We would always be seen together. My Uncle Henry describes us as a three-ring cord – a cord that can never be easily broken - by any situation. My Daddy structured our family according to the ways and plans that God placed in his heart. The bond of love and unity among the three of us could not be penetrated by anyone or anything. My Daddy would always say about our family, “One (Randy) plus one (Jane) equals three (Randy, Jane, and Portia).”
Portia Y. Clare pictured with her Mom and Dad
I AM THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR MY FAMILY! All of life’s most important lessons have been taught to me by my family. They were taught at home first:
Have a relationship with and love God with all your heart, mind, and soul.
Pray.
Love one another.
HUG.
Be kind and respectful – say please and thank you.
Apologize and forgive.
Share.
Tell the truth.
Just ask – do not take or use without permission.
Take good care of what you have.
Take good care of your name – keep it good.
Live a balanced life – work and play!
Learn something new every day.
Think correctly.
Help one another.
Stick together.
EVERYTHING IS FAMILY! Family is the single most important influence in a child’s life. While teachers and peers do influence, there is no comparison to the influence of family. Family is the first social group that we know. It frames the core of who we are. Love, protection, provision, compassion, empathy, responsibility, trust, hope, belief, tradition, culture, and learning first come through family. Civilizations and communities are built on families. Relationships and values that are first expressed in families are shared with and affect communities and civilizations around the world.
We also learn some harmful things from our family. We may experience pain because of some of the choices that have been made in our families – long-lasting and life-changing choices. The hope is that those harmful experiences will help to build our resilience and serve as life lessons that will propel us in the right direction and inspire us to move forward, learn from them, and become better.
Family is a bond that is not easily broken. It’s God’s idea! Our children must learn and experience the importance of the family bond and be encouraged to strengthen it and build upon it. When they do, they will help to perpetuate better relationships, better communities, better countries, and a love that never ends – the love of FAMILY!