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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

"The Meaning of Family" by Jonalynn V

 

Family defined by Britannica : a group of persons united by ties of marriage [or] blood.

 

When one thinks of the word family they usually portray a mother, father, and a child living in a happy home together, similarly to the definition above. That’s what we have invariably been taught what a family looks like, that’s how we played family when we were young, that’s what we’ve always known to be a family. However, ‘family’ is not a definitive description of a group of people, it's actually an ambiguous description of the relationships with people that you build throughout your life.

Everyone can have a different company of people that they call family and that might look different compared to those around them. But the important aspects that makes the company around you a family is the love and graciousness that holds everyone together. The foundation of a family isn’t solely built through ancestry, it’s also built through genuine relationships and connections that love glues together. The word family has no boundaries and can be created endlessly within deep connections of genuine people who are alway there for one another.

Within my own experiences, outside of my biological family, I have a family of girls that are always by my side regardless of the circumstances. My soccer team has brought me nothing but the love and graciousness that creates this said family. Within this team there have been nothing but joyous memories, endless laughter, and so many lively people surrounding me with the utmost positivity and bliss. The comfort I found within this team and the connections I was able to make are what make this team more than a team, we created a family that I’ll forever cherish.

Family goes beyond the ties of biological relations as that can be proven through my own experiences. Having the opportunity to have a family outside of my very own is something that I am so grateful for. The memories, lessons, and opportunities I have gained from this group of girls goes beyond my ability to say ‘thank you’. I’ll forever look back at these memories as I spend my very last with them. We have faced many ups and downs but we stuck together and conquered complications with each other, as that is how we are supposed to do both on and off the pitch. As our time together draws near we will face the obstacle of the future together as a family and keep each others’ heads up for the road that we face ahead of us.

I will eternally be appreciative of the second family I was able to be a part of. Furthermore, I am thankful for being able to understand that family is not just those you share a home with, it’s also those who make you feel at home when you’re far away from your own. The importance of family comes from within the hearts and souls of those around you. That is what family means.


Works Cited

Barnard, Alan John. "family". Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Mar. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/family-kinship. Accessed 12 March 2024.

 

 

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