Merriam Webster defines the word family as a group of
individual living under one roof and usually under one head. It goes on to say that it can also be a group
of people united by certain convictions or a comment affiliation.
My struggles with family over the last year have been
crazy. A year ago January my mother
ended up moving in with me for five or six months. It was HORRIBLE. I did what I could to get her together, bills
squared away and all her medical needs met.
I cooked for her three times a day plus snacks as well as cleaning up
after her and doing her laundry. She was
here 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I had
little or no support at all from my siblings who claimed to love her. I finally was able to get her approved for disability
and get her accepted into an assisted living facility when all hell broke
loose. One of my sisters decided that
she had not been in on the discussions the entire time about getting her into a
home and started telling everyone that I stole my mother’s social
security. She even went so far as to
attack my mental disorder AND my religion.
She sent me repeated text messages to the point that I had to go to the
phone company and block her from sending me any messages at all.
During this time I saw a change in my friends in social
media. Some I have known for years and
years, others only a few months. These
folks rallied together and came to my defense.
The stood up to other’s who would attack me on Facebook. And one took me under her wing and adopted me
outright. I've known her for years. She and I worked together at a BBS called
Cupid’s Playpen. We spent nights hosting
bowling events and picnics as well as playing MUDs together. Today I am her sister.
I have family that is related to me by blood. I’m not really that close to most of
them. I have cousins and nieces. I rarely talk to any of them and usually just
post the random happy birthday messages on Facebook. I get invited to events and reunions and
sometimes even hear the “I love you” from them.
I wonder though, do they really know what love or family is? I've not been around them. They don’t know me. They don’t know about my
panic attacks or my days trapped in the house from fear. I don’t even really know for sure who my
father is. Yet I have people from his
side of the family tell me they love me and stuff. I guess I should be happy about it, but it
just makes me uncomfortable. They know
that he kidnapped me and raped me but they invited me to groups honoring
him. It all so confusing sometimes
because even on my mother’s side, I want to hold her accountable for what
happened yet everyone tells me I need to let go.
Of all the things in my life that have hurt me, the majority
of the pain has come from people that called themselves my family. My birth family that is.
I have found a new family.
My pagan family, my online family.
This year on my birthday I had over 100 people wish me a happy
birthday. Three of them were birth
family. My sister that blocked me and
was so vile to me managed to send me a happy birthday text 3 minutes before
midnight on my birthday. My adopted
family continued to amaze me with wonderful flowers and gifts. Instead of having a birth DAY I had a birth
WEEK.
Family comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be people who are related by blood or
people who CHOOSE to come together and share love and kindness to each
other. I've found that this family, is
the best family every.
Namaste & Blessed Be
Sosanna
)O(
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3 comments
Good for you! A sense of family is not always found in our blood relations, even though television has persuaded us over the years that it can be. We are having a similar situation in our family. Luckily, despite having our suspicions and our opinions on the topic, those who didn't have the job of taking direct care of the mother, did not stick our noses in as we were not in any position to. However, the other relatives did - and it was hard. I remember wondering where these other relatives were years before my mother became unable to live on her own.
Hang in there and be grateful for your "unconventional" family. Many wish for a family like that
I couldn't agree more. I truly believe that family is what you make it. My blood relatives and I have a cordial relationship at best, due to the fact they most of them refuse to acknowledge that I was abused sexual and physical by my father. I've heard "you need to get over it" so much, it doesn't even upset me anymore. I realize they will never understand. Nor do they understand or attempt to understand the spiritual path I travel. They say things like "That witch stuff is for white folks, we don't believe in that stuff."
But, like you Renee, the Goddess has blessed me by bring people into my life who understand,accept and love me for who and what I am, scars and all. It still amazes me that I've been able to connect with people who, from the moment we meet either in person or on-line I have shared a strong connection with. These people are the family of my heart.
MINE! MINE! ALL MINE! They can't have you anymore. MINE, I tell you! MINE!
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