On Family

Over the past several days, I've spent a lot of time with my family. Usually I'll spend a few hours a day at most with them, and then spend the rest off on my own or with friends. But over these past few days, I've spent every waking hour in their presence as we explored the island and found new adventures. And during that time, I learned a lot about my relationship with them.

My relationship with my family is most certainly not the best. They don't really know me, mostly because I don't let them. They aren't the most fun to be around and we fight a lot. But even though I tend to enjoy the time spent with friends more, there's a certain satisfaction in the time spent with the family. There's no worries about whether they about whether they actually like me or find what I say interesting or, perhaps most importantly, will still keep in touch in five years.

In other words, the family offers a certain permanence in its relationship with me that no one else can.

I plan to be friends with all of you in five years. But suppose we aren't? For some of us, it's extremely unlikely. And as we are a pretty solid group, I think we'll stick together. Unless someone somewhat deliberately splits himself off from everyone else, it seems that we'll stay together.

But what about in twenty years? Fifty? Again, I'm not trying to assume that we won't be. But the question still remains.

With the family, however, that question is practically non-existent. You might not speak to your sibling for four years, but you know that once you do speak again everything will return to normal. The family offers a security in its relationships. They are lasting.

Of course, there's always the cases of families that break apart. But even then, it's incredibly difficult to break that bond. Serious, grave offences must be committed to even attempt to separate two people in the family with any sort of permanence. Because that's what the family is: it is permanent, well-guarded against such disasters.

My sister may be one of the most ego-driven, annoying, and wrong person I know (so am I though), but the fact remains that she is my sister. And that will always be the case.

The tribe has become even more family-like over the years. But we aren't there yet. Let's keep trying.