The Meaning of Family
What does the word family mean to you? Everyone has his or her own definition of what constitutes a family, and with the definition comes a different meaning or understanding of what a family make up should look like. If you said your partner, children, mother, father, brother, sister, or grandparents, then you are correct, but at the same time, the word family means so much more.
The word family can be broken down into three layers: the immediate, extended, and inclusive family. These three layers are integral in teaching responsibility and accountability, and assist in nurturing while shaping your growth as men or women.
For some, the immediate family is made up of their closest loved ones, such as a spouse or children. For those who do not have a partner, the immediate family could mean parents, grandparents, or siblings.
This layer refers to the people whom you trust the most: the individuals with whom you feel safe sharing your innermost secrets. In return, these loved ones are the ones who provide you with the guidance and sage advice that shape your life and establish your foundation as a young adult. Thus, these are the people who provide you with that sense of responsibility and understanding of what is right and wrong.
Inherently, you always want to do right by your family, ensuring you do not disappoint them with your decisions and actions. Oftentimes when people are faced with a decision, they reach down inside themselves and ask "What would Mom do?”, "What would Dad do?”, or "Will this action hurt my wife and children?” The foundation of your behavior is very often built by this group of people, and the influences they impart in your life are responsible for your being able to make sound logical decisions, which afford you an opportunity for expansion in your life, at which point you draw on the lessons and experiences of the extended family layer.
The extended family is made up of the next closest loved ones, meaning brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, or even cousins. This layer refers to the group of people whom you trust and look to for advice on life's lessons, because oftentimes their actions and lives have ventured outside of your immediate families. Oftentimes, the extended family members relate their lessons with stories or anecdotes about how, when faced with difficult decisions, they came to their conclusions.
Sometimes, these loved ones did not necessarily make the right decision—like when your favorite Uncle Frank sat on top of a government vehicle and ripped the canvas top. When asked, "Private, what is your name?" he replied, "Private Joe Martinez, Sir," knowing fully well that was not his correct name, but by giving the officer a false name, he knew that there was no way the incident could be traced back to him and he would not receive immediate punishment. He tells you this story so that you will see the humor, but more importantly to see that he did wrong by not accepting responsibility for his actions by admitting to destroying government property.
Your family members also play a huge role in your life by providing love and support for you when you are experiencing periods of isolation, despair, or loneliness. Oftentimes these moments come when you are removed from the daily interaction with your immediate and extended family members. These times come to people at different periods in their lives. The inclusive family can take the form of friends, members of your religious organization, local community members, and coworkers. All of your life, you have embraced your immediate and extended family members.
Your family, be it immediate, extended, inclusive, or whatever title you have established, surrounds you at all times; teaching you life's lessons, giving you the tools to make the right decisions or choices, and investing in your well-being, comfort, and love. As a family unit you are always there for one another and your needs.
Lawson, E. (2009, September 9). Meaning of family. San Angelo, TX: Goodfellow Airforce Base. Retrieved March 9, 2015, from http://www.goodfellow.af.mil