Some family members I love from afar and others I am around often and spend time with by choice.  I have learned that I love all family members; but, I love them in very different ways.

I have grown to realize that I will always love my family.  There are times I may not respect the decisions that family members make and I know that my family has not always respected the decisions I have made.

One of those decisions was marrying my husband.  Although I knew my family loved me, I also knew all but one did not respect my decision to marry someone 30 years my senior. 

It was a good 6 months before my family started to accept the idea.  Normally this would have been very tough for me to deal with, my family is very important to me.  But I had an inner peace with my decision.  Oddly enough, my husband immediately loved my family despite their lack of approval. 

I knew my family would eventually welcome my husband, and they quickly did.  My family loved him, it was hard not to love him!  Upon his death, my father said to me, “You couldn’t have married anyone nicer.”  I smiled and said, “I know!” 

Both my husband and I understood why my family was so concerned about our marriage.  We also realized their concern was out of love.     

Family by blood is and always will be your family.  Some of us are fortunate to have been born into a loving, supportive family.  Others may seek out loving and supportive family friends.  Unfortunately, not all families like each other or get along.  There may be very good reasons for those feelings.  It is a true blessing to be able to enjoy your family, but it is also a blessing to be able to forgive your family.  That does not mean you need to be best friends, but there is always room for forgiveness and it is never too late.  Most often I find that forgiveness is a gift to myself, not necessarily to the person who may or may not reciprocate the forgiveness.

I have learned that if I love my family, which I do, then I need to be happy for them and the decisions they make.  I am not always happy with how that affects me, but that does not make me love them any less.     

When I was young I remember my brother telling me he might take a job in Michigan.  At that moment, I could not imagine life without him living nearby and I certainly hoped he would not leave Cleveland.  He ended up not taking the job.  Fast forward eight years and I was off to college, not to return to Cleveland to live for 23 years.  Hopefully, my brother has forgiven me for leaving town! 

When I was young I could not imagine life without blood relatives living close.  As an adult, I have learned that is not always possible and that family is a much broader term.  In my 23 years away from Cleveland, I was able to experience love from various families (including my own!).  I learned the depth of the term family. 

Our family gatherings always include members who are like family to us.  People we love and enjoy being around.  As I age I learn more and more how valuable family is and how it evolves through the years.  No matter how small your immediate family is, you can choose to grow your family friends if you so desire. 

With family, family friends, and people in general, I feel it is important to open your heart to spiritual love.  Family or not, I continually work on making sure that I have love in my heart for people.  I pray for opportunities to expand my circle of family friends and I am abundantly blessed by people who call me their friend or friend of their family.

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