Family is an ‘F’ Word

“Family” is most certainly the ‘F’ word. Fierce. Freakish. Fantasmagoric. (Look it up.) Fun. And yes, the word you immediately thought of as well.

We are schooled to believe family is about having properly cooked Thanksgiving feasts on the table and smiling perfectly in color coordinated outfits for portraits. Raise your hand if you know that’s bullshit.

‘Family’ are the people in your life who know, put up with and hopefully call you on your crap but then love the snot out of your crazy self.

‘Family’ are the people who even though they may mock your half shaved head or test you on the Bill of Rights, know that there is never a style or an answer that will keep them from loving you.

And Family are the people who will move mountains to be by your side not only when you are at your best but more often when you are breaking apart and can’t hold on any longer. In those moments, Family is the person who holds your hand, kisses your cheek and does your dishes when you aren’t looking.

There’s a reason there’s no such thing as the perfect family... not even in fairytales. (Can you think of one?) But it is in the mining of moments, the loving through pain where that ‘F’ becomes not only a capital letter but a badge of honor.