Day 34 - FAMILY

The theme for the photo today is "family". We all have a family, some are big, some are small, for some may not even actually be related, but we all have one. A family is defined as "a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household", but I'm not quite sure the dictionary has the whole idea of what a family is.

A family can be blood related, but it can also be something you choose. It is very difficult to me to think of some of my friends as not part of my family. I think of family as the group of people that care about you unconditionally. They are the people that will help you through anything and be there for everything. They are the people you can get mad at and still love them with all of your heart. After looking into more definitions of "family" I found one I liked better; "A group of objects united by a significant shared characteristic." This definition, while a little more vaugue, is perfect because it's true. Your relatives are your family because you share blood and ancestry, but let's think about another family we all have that we may not appreciate enough. We are ALL family. According to Romans 12:5, "So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." Whether those people around you are religious or not, they are family because they were created by God. You cannot say that you love God and not appreciate his creations.

Family is a huge part of my life. Moving away from home for school was one of the most difficult things for me to do, but it was such a blessing. It surrounded me with new people and experiences that have allowed me to grow in my faith on my own terms. My parents had given me the basics and made me comfortable in the church, which is why when I left home to come to Flagstaff I had no problem going to mass by myself. I knew in my heart that I may not personally know anyone there, but that we were all a family. We all support each other and pray for each other and come together because we are connected by God. One of the best parts of mass is saying the "Our Father" and seeing everyone holding hands, connected, united together, sometimes not knowing who is standing next to them. I always love the times that I end up standing next to someone I don't know. Many times these people give my hand a little squeeze at the end of the showing they are there for me. They may not know me or what I need, but it is always a little reminder to me that we are family.

#family