Holiday Rhetoric

Closeness

 



 

When I think of family, I think of a mom, dad, and their kid(s) if any.  Growing up, this has not always been the case for me. I have never lived with my dad nor do I talk to him much.  As for my mom, I see her seldomly, but not enough.  Am I supposed to call me, my mom, and dad a family?  When holidays come around I see neither.  My family is my Grandma and Grandpa, then the rest of my family members come in and complete my family. I don’t think “family” should have any certain definition put behind it because some instances can alter the meaning.  When its Christmas or Thanksgiving and I sit down to eat, I look around the table at all of my family.  Some I only see a couple times during the year.  I don’t think this is a family.  When I’m watching Christmas shows, and they show all of the family members is that really their family?  To be considered family, you should be close to that person and see that person more than just the holidays.

All of my life I have been close to my aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, and sisters.  I classify them all as my family because they have always been there for me and I think it would be too hard to say my only family was my grandma and grandpa when they’re not.  There are exceptions though.  When I was younger I would go with my dad for the holidays and I would always be around his side of the family, but I don’t consider them my family.  There are people I have never seen before on Christmas that were my “family,” and I have never seen them since.  Family is defined by the circumstances someone wants it to be.  If I grow up, don’t get married, but still have a kid, I think my family would be me and my kid.  I could also have a family as diverse as the Duggar’s who have 19 children.  It all depends on your situation.