Family

So, being that this week was Thanksgiving, I've done some thinking about families. I went with Greg to Roanoke for Thanksgiving. On Thursday we ate at his stepmom's sister's house with all of his step-aunts, step-uncles, step-cousins and step-grandmother. I felt a bit like I was playing the Six-Degrees of Kevin Bacon game because to one of the kids there I was his aunt's-second-husband's-son's-girlfriend... a very close relationship.

But honestly, it never really felt weird. They were very welcoming and friendly. After the initial introductions, no one cared how I got there or how distantly I was associated, I was part of the family.

This is also my first Thanksgiving or Christmas away from my immediate family. I've struggled for the last few years about how much holidays are changing because I love tradtion. Growing up there was a system of who we visited at each holiday and what we ate and what we did; it was rhythmic and comfortable. But things have gotten harder in the last few years and many of these traditions have fallen away. All the cousins graduated from college, Nate got married, we all moved to different cities... etc. Am I losing my family?

No, I'm not. I realized the other day that my family is not my family because they know what we're supposed to eat at Thanksgiving, they're my family because they love me. If we go on that same definition, I have a wonderful family here in Virginia Beach too. I have 3 great roommates and a whole group of friends who love me. It may be a bit quirky of a family - but it's still a family.

It's a reminder to me about the importance of community; many people don't have families or groups of great friends to turn to. That teaches me two things:

1. I can never take my family (biologically or otherwise) for granted
2. I need to be constantly welcoming others into this crazy quirky family; it may very well be life changing.

So hug your friends and quirky family... and HAPPY LATE THANKSGIVING!!