This week’s writing prompt is, Things only my family would understand.
“Blood is thicker than water,” as the old saying claims. While I would agree that family bonds can be powerful, my immediate family would vehemently disagree that a family is based on blood ties. I’m not related to my husband – my partner and biggest supporter – by blood (that would be gross). Our daughter is adopted. Our oldest “daughter” isn’t even legally our child, but we love her wholly and unconditionally and couldn’t imagine our lives without her. I’d also include my best friend as “family,” like a sister.
Ours is a family we chose to build, not one we were forced to accept. We have relationships with our biological families, but they are all complicated and have varying degrees of closeness. While the family we have built has it’s own history and complications (what relationship doesn’t?) it’s just as real and authentic – and I believe stronger – than any family based on blood. Many people don’t understand this. So many people question how we can love a child we didn’t “give birth to,” which is so offensive and stupid on so many levels I can’t get into it here. But I also know that many people are coming to understand and accept that LOVE makes a family, not blood.