FAMILY - UPDATED

So one of my first posts on this blog was about family, mine specifically, and in that post (which you can read here) I wrote about how I would call someone a family member even if we aren't blood related to me but then continued the post by only talking about my actual family members.

I love my family, no matter how big or complicated it is. But family is somewhat forced upon you from birth. You don't really have a choice in the matter of if you actually want those people in your life and I think because of this we all develop different sides of our selves. I free a few more of my personality traits with my friends than I do with my family and that's because they are two very different groups of people.

I used to think that family was the pinnacle of being human. The one thing that should never be prioritised over. I still do believe this to an extent however its more common for, say, animals to depend upon their family group for their entire lifetime, and fight off anyone from another bloodline for protection. Human beings have the ability to meet someone they weren't raised by and not try to outrank them - in most cases! What I mean by this is that it's ok that family isn't number one on my list of priorities. Family is there to guide you through life, not to ensure that you follow step by step the path they took. Every person if different from the next and should have their own story to tell.

So my view on family is still the same as my previous blog post described it, but the people that I would consider family have changed. They now fall into two categories:

1. People I couldn't live without
2. Relatives

Being that the first category is relatively new, it doesn't really contain many people, to be exact it only  contains three. And even then there's only one person who consumes most of the spots available. 

Natasha

FAMILY

If you were to ask me "What in this world could you not do without?" I would answer "Family".

In my opinion, a family member does not have to be a blood relative, nor do you have to get along at first. I would consider anyone who excepts me as I am and who doesn't question my flaws as my family.

My family, and if I'm honest and more specific my mother, make me strive everyday to be a better person and show me how much a person can take on in life. They show me what can be achieved when effort is made and sometimes what can be lost when it is not. For this I am forever grateful and indebted, I can only hope that I can have as much influence on whatever future generations of my family come along.

My sister has shown me that independence and confidence are gained from fear and bravery. 

My brother has shown me that success in employment can be done on your own terms.

My brother's girlfriend has taught me that no matter what your size, she can lift more than you! And that with dedication and good motivation you can continue achieving.

My granddads have taught me that no matter what your age, you can make a teenager laugh and that sometimes 'my choice' isn't an option. 

My Grandmas have shown me that sometimes loneliness is ok and that happiness after loss is encouraged and oddly easy.

My Mum, my Mum has taught me that to have fear and to show fear are two completely different things. She has shown me what family means, it means sticking at things, working at relationships that you would never normally have and loving people for their flaws before loving them for their perfections.

From left to right - My sister, My brother's Girlfriend, My mum, My brother and Me

Natasha