What does family mean to you?

shellsuit

Family to me makes life worth living.

Now I have my own family, I understand the sacrifices my own parents made for me and love and respect them all the more.

If my family are happy, I'm happy.

I can't imagine life without them in it at all!

balletshoes

hollylangman37 wrote: »

I was having a chat with some friends the other day and found it interesting how we all defined what family meant to us differently.

So what does it mean to you?

My family are my blood relatives and my sisters' husbands. They are the ones above anyone else I can go to when I need help, support and advice, and they know they can rely on me for the same thing. I would be lost without them.
I don't think of my OH's blood relatives as my family - they are his family . He is nowhere near as close to his family as I am to mine, and doesn't go to them or rely on them for anything at all.

Is that what you meant OP?

Gillyx

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

It means a mixed bag to me.

The ones that are great I would die for, as for others, well the less said the better.

In my book 'Blood is not thicker than Water'.

I have other people in my life that are not related but are every bit as 'family' to me.

Pretty much this. Just because people are family it doesn't mean they should get a free pass. There are things so called "family" have done that I can't forgive and as much as people say oh but it's your aunt/uncle/sister (delete where applicable) I can't.

There is someone though who means the world to me and who I'd go to the ends of the earth and further for, and I don't even know how he feels about me. I don't know where he is, I don't even know if he has a warm bed to sleep in at night. He consumes my thoughts most days, and I'd give anything to hear that he's ok.

I don't know how to go about contacting him though, I don't have any money to help find him

VestanPance

My parents have passed away now, but my sister is the only person in my life that is really there for me.

When younger I didn't think much of what family meant and would have more often than not rated friends as a higher importance, but with age and things that I've witnessed I've found that family are the only ones that stick around no matter what.

make_me_wise

I am lucky to have a very loving family. I had a happy and secure childhood and always felt surrounded by love. What I appreciate about them most is that they are 100% genuine. You know exactly where you stand with them. If I ever did anything daft I was told so, not in a mocking way but they would point things out and then discuss better approaches, and offer advice on how to make things right. They have always supported and encouraged me and made me aim as high as I could.

I think I am self assured and confidant because of how I was raised. My parents love and guidance has helped me form my own happy marriage and I hope I can be as good to my children when they arrive as my mum and dad were/are to me.

I get on very well with hubbys family too. He is one of 5 and the family dynamics can be complicated at times, they seem to rub along rather than get along. Each to their own.

adamantine

family doesn't need to be blood.

my parents and my kids are the most important people ever to me yet my brother and i have not spoken in months.

a few of my friends are more like sisters than anything else and i would do almost anything for them.

they are someone to moan to, a shoulder to cry on, someone to spend time with and who can take the p*** out of you and laugh just as hard when you do it back to them!

Blue_Elephant

That depends. My blood family - I barely know extended family because one side lives in another country and the other are not people I would wish to associate with as they are the most selfish, stubborn, superior backstabbing people I've had the misfortune to meet. I have my own issues with my parents and my brother and for them I would do anything - out of duty and obligation rather than anything else though.

My other "family" - my friends, friends' parents who took me under their wing when I was a teenager (when my parents had more important things to deal with -I'm not being bitter, they really did have more important things to deal with) Even for people I don't necessarily like very much but were there for me when it counted, they are my real family, and for them I would do anything.

I am lucky to have fantastic friends and ?I don't appreciate them as much as I should. They in turn don't know how often they've saved me from myself.

Sublime_2

My immediate family, who I don't get to see often, as they live a good distance from me, are always there, just a phonecall away, when I need advice, or someone to talk to. I love them unconditionally.

jackieblack

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

They are the people who know me best, recognise and tolerate every single flaw in my character and are fully aware of and forgiving of past misdeeds. And they still want me to be in their lives of their own free will. That's truly blessed

Beautifully put

marywooyeah

Jojo's post sums up my feelings pretty well! I've been messed about and screwed over so many times by my birth family/blood relatives that I actually care very little about them, but I still maintain some level of contact in the hope that perhaps one day a better relationship will be forged.

My family is my husband and my son. I don't see my husbands relatives as my family - in fact his brother's g/f told me uncategorically that I was not family (on my birthday of all days).

When I was a child I longed to be part of a nuclear family and the positive feelings that other posters have described but have learnt to accept that not everyone gets to experience that and I'm so glad I have my own family now. they say 3's a crowd, but us three are perfect together