It used to be a husband and wife then they had children. Those children married and had children and those children married and had children and this is how families begin. When a son or daughter marries, the family of the bride and the family of the groom become a bigger family. If a man marries a woman that already has children those children become his family. If a woman marries a man that has children, those children become her family. If a woman begins a relationship with a woman that has a child that child and both women’s families became family. If a man gets into a relationship with a man and that man has a child, that child and both men’s families become family everyone in the family no matter which side of the family they are from or how they became family, blood or not is family and should have the same respect and considerations as everyone else in the family. A life partner cannot expect you to ignore your family while focusing completely on their family. A life partner cannot make you choose between themselves and your family member. A life partner cannot disown your children without disowning you also, your children no matter what they do are and will always be a part of you. Life partners should support each other with any issues going on with children or family members and always encourage closeness. The moment you force your life partner to choose between you and their child, their siblings, parents and in many cases even their pets. You will have sealed your fate. Your relationship may hold together for some time if there is love in their heart for you. Only now all the things that were once overlooked begin to harden the heart until finally there is enough pain and misery, they will no longer wish to be with you but wish to be with the family you felt you could replace. This is a time in our lives that we need to reclaim a part of our history and tradition that is nearly extinct. The families no longer sit at the dinner table and enjoy meals together. Families no longer go to family members’ homes and spend time together, allowing cousins to build that family bond. Families no longer gather at the parent’s or grandparents’ home and make memories. Family gatherings like some creatures of the wild are becoming extinct. Families are treasures you cannot replace. Do not be the wedge that tears families apart. Be the ribbon that binds them together. When you have no one else in your life, you will always have your family. If you cannot separate yourself from your own family, do not ask the one you claim to love to separate themselves from their family either. Build a family, make memories, leave a heritage.
Simply my Thoughts
Dean Butler
