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The role of families as the cornerstone of societal growth and development cannot be overstated. Families serve as the fundamental units that shape individuals, instilling values, beliefs, and behaviors that influence their interactions within the broader community.
“Families are not so much important after all”, some may say. Others may be like, “Well, it’s kinda important, but definitely not the most important…”
Now just know that whatever perspective or view you’ve towards family, if it’s not one that takes family as the most important thing there is, then it’s totally a misconception.
Take note when I say “Family”, that I don’t necessarily mean only those connected to you by blood ties, or those sharing the same last name as you, no!
Family include anyone with whom you can share your thoughts freely. They share the same values as you do and will always be there for you no matter what happens.
In fact, one of the most common tags of a family is “sticking together at all times”. So now, you might have someone who is biologically related to you, yet that person is not always seen “sticking together, around in not-so-good times“. Will you still enjoy calling such a person “family”? Of course not! The person hasn’t proved himself worthy to be called as such even if he’s already part of the family by blood.
This is how it is for every one of us too. We like to identify with those people who stand by us in all we go through. That in a way gives us hope for striving harder and better.
We all are part of a family, no doubt. No matter our present state or how we’ve really lived our lives, our family has really been an important part of our lives.
We may not even want to admit it but most of the things we tend to do are one way or the other because of our families. We really want to be identified with a well-to-do family.
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Honestly speaking, we really cannot deny the fact that family do play a very significant role in our lives to a very large extent.
We may not want to sometimes identify with them due to how “well” they may have hurt our feelings and all that, but we sure do know that nothing can really replace the role they play in our lives, even if we fail to admit it.
Undoubtedly, in every family, there is always that irrational aunt whose words are nonsensical, that obnoxious uncle who tend to find faults in all things and whose words can stir up unnecessary emotions, and that dramatic cousin who cannot take things lightly or tenderly.
However, for every not-so-good character in a family, there is always an equal or even more good character. Like that lovely elder sister or brother who buys you things at all times, that mom who calls and look after you like crazy, or even that dad who protects you from any outer danger.
In all, we just still cannot deny the fact that family rocks, no matter what role they may play. Though they may want to get on our nerves and excessively annoy us, that’s just all it is.
Our family know so much about us already, I guess that’s why they can hurt us in places that hurt the most if you know what I mean.
FRIENDS TURNING INTO FAMILY
We all have that one friend (for some others it might be two or even more than), who has fit into our lives just as families do. They’ve so contributed to our life that we cannot but call them family.
That’s really an amazing thing you know because having such friends in a world full of self-centred individuals is really a great deal, really, really, it is!
These friends might as well even “…stick closer than a brother”, no doubt. You just see them around you everywhere you turn to, not as a stalker though, but as a standby and a helper, interesting right?
Personally, I can say the same for myself too. There is just some friend in my life who has affected my life positively in ways I could never imagine.
I just thank God for bringing such persons into my life because I really don’t know what I’ll do without them. However, this doesn’t mean conflict cannot arise between us, trust me, it does! We can as well fight every now and then but what the conflict does is only to bring us closer to each other than before.
I’m the kind of person that cherishes friendship on a deeper level. I love to take it beyond the superficial level that everyone else likes to dwell in—especially when I’ve come to really like the person in question so much.
And with that, tagging such a person as a part of my family is not really a big deal for me. Just know I love the person so much to have to do such a thing.
Meanwhile, the reverse can also be the case for the proximal subtitle. Families can as well turn friends which is a very good thing though.
It’s amazing how we get to connect on a deeper level with some members of our family than the others. That kind of connection is a friendship bond connection.
Outside the fact that the person is already family, you still relate with each other just as close friends will do. This has brought a thought to my mind. I really think friendship should be first derived from the family because it’ll really make that friendship a stronger and lasting one especially when you guys are honest and treat each other equally with love and compassion. Hope you get my point?
So in equal measures, build up your family relationship within yourselves just as the way you’ll build up your friendship with others.
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FAMILY BONDS TEND TO BE STRONGER AND LONG-LASTING
You really cannot deny that there are some ways in which family connects with us that cannot be seen elsewhere. As a matter of fact, I don’t really think you can even find it in the closest of friends, you know right? I guess the blood ties are really stronger than we’ve thought it is after all.
Family bonds are stronger. Way stronger than we can ever imagine, especially from the immediate family. Haven’t you wondered why you became more closer to your elder sibling or a younger one after a very intense argument and quarrel that you both had? You just somehow reconciled and became even closer, right?
Well, it’s just as the saying goes, “Blood is thicker than water”. You really cannot run away from family you know. They will always be an integral and a very pivotal part of your life—always!
So, the earlier you start bonding and connecting with members of your family, the best for you because those bonds and connections tend to linger longer than any other.
Just be sure to begin bonding on the right platform and foundation. What I mean is that there should be sheer honesty and truthfulness, and also shared loved and compassion for one another.
UNIFIED FAMILY GROWS A SOCIETY
It’s funny how some people may think that a society can grow and blossom without the collective effort of a unified family—not just any family. Society is family, and family is in society.
It’s obvious that every society is made up of families amalgamated to form a unit. This means that if there be a fault or a loophole in a society, then the family should be checked. Each family has a salient role to play in helping a society blossom beyond the wide skies.
Now, if there is no unity in a family, it affects the society in that those persons in the family will go out to be in the world and by this means they are really bringing out that dis-unified dysfunctionality into the world.
That dis-unity will really tell on the society to a very large extent because a family can never be isolated from society.
It’s a harmonious and unified family that makes a society grow. Unity brings peace, and peace brings relational co-existence.
So in essence, this means that if all we strive for in this world of rampant chaos and dire mayhem is peace, then we really have to begin that peace with our own family. The peace we strive for should begin with us and members of our families.
INVESTING IN FAMILY GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Just like every other part of society, the family still needs growth and development too, it doesn’t just grow automatically, people actually make that growth happen. This is why investing in family growth and development is a very crucial part of societal improvement. If it is neglected, it’s the society that suffers.
You may want to ask, “How does one invest in one’s family in order to trigger its growth and development?” as it is, there are quite a number of things you can really do that will serve as an investment for the family, some of which are:
- Spending quality time with them (this is very important)
- Loving and supporting them through all circumstances
- Making yourself available when they need you most
- Rendering financial support to the ones that are dependent
- Overlooking their errors and flaws and loving them unconditionally
- Be in deliberate service to them like they hired you to
The above list is just a glimpse of the kind of investment you can render in the family, but they are definitely not to be taken lightly.
Don’t ever see it as a task to do so much for your family, because they will always be there for you even when friends seem not to be around.
Investing in your family also means investing in society, they go hand-in-hand. do not neglect your family for any in the world for they are really a great part of your life.
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