I was thinking about something recently. Biological ties are not chains that hold people together. For better or worse, some families get along and some do not. I always took for granted that families should love each other, because they are family. But that's really not true at all. In any relationship, family, romantic, friendship or otherwise, if you don't nurture the relationship, it will fade away. And I realized recently that my family will always talk and discuss things, because we're family, but we definitely have the potential of growing apart. I talk to my mom and younger brother quite a bit, so I feel very close to them. But I feel like I don't know the rest of my family as well as I once did. And that is really bizarre to me. Also strange is that I know a lot of families (not mine, thankfully) who don't seem to really enjoy each other's company but keep in touch because they like the idea of a close knit family so much. But none of them actually seem close. It's very weird.

So I think it'd be a good idea to call up my brothers and their wives more often, to make sure I don't lose touch. (At least we do chat fairly often through email.) I was never close with my grandparents and it may be hard to mend that now. But it might be worth a try. I don't know. My grandmothers don't really know me, or think of me as an adult. They just think of me as their daughter's child, someone they should love. And I'm sure they do love me. But it's weird to think they don't really know me. And that I don't really know them either. Odd. My step-grandmother sees her sisters all the time, and I'm convinced there are times she doesn't even like them (which is okay, too). But, you see? That's my point -- I don't even know! I think I might write them both a letter soon, just to say hi.

So, I think if you love your family, keep in touch so that you'll always love each other. But if you don't, don't feel bad. Find people you do love and hang out with them instead. I just don't think anyone should feel obligated to put up with sad, abusive, severely unhealthy relationships, just because those people are family.

I was only thinking about that (especially that last part) because of the holidays. I've been reading lots and lots of peoples' journal entries, some positive, some very sad... a wide array of weird things the holidays bring up for people. So many of them torture themselves to entertain people they don't even like, much less love. I say, what's the point?

Anyway, just thinking aloud. Thanks for tuning in!

Love,
Meg