Meaning of Family

We are never given a chance to choose a family. May be that's why knowing, understanding and learning the meaning of family becomes essential for us. We are all born with a family. Family is essentially made of those people who look after, who play a crucial role in our upbringing and who teach us such lessons in life, which can never be learned through any textbook. We assimilate the basics of discipline and responsibilities from our family relationships.

What Constitutes a Family?

Mother
Your mother brings you into this life. By creating you she gives you the chance to live a life. She looks after you, every breathing moment of her life, thus imbibing the meaning of love and care. As her love oscillates from unconditional to tough love it helps you understand your flaws, strengths, your limits and capabilities. A mother is the one with whom you make your first bond.

Father
He is the first man in your life and the one who knows the how to fix for every problem. He may not be in most of the photographs taken at family picnics as he is the taking the shots. He not just provides a financial support, but also an emotional one. The role play of a father, teaches diligence, responsibility, dedication and dependability. Through his actions, he teaches the meaning of hard work and perseverance.

Siblings
Siblings are the indispensable part of your life. No matter how much you fight with them, get angry with them, hate their ways of living or are jealous of them, they come to open the 'never red before' chapters of your life. I have a twin sister. Though we are fraternal, we have always been compared in terms of our skin color, height, intellect and so on and so forth. But, it is this comparison that has helped me see, us, as different individuals, born together for a purpose, way above shallow measurements of being 'like the other one'. Most importantly, it has taught me to share, to love and to be there for someone unassailably. I owe my virtues of patience, tolerance and if it's not self-praising, my ability to stand for someone you love, to her. It is living with siblings that makes life a fun roller coaster full of ups, downs, turns, twists, laughter and love.

Relatives
Relatives are the support system of the family. In times of crisis and in times of happiness, no matter what situation you are in, you always find relatives by your side to help you come out of it. Relatives share the burden of your sorrow and grief and double the essence of happiness.

Family Values

They are the building blocks of a family. Family values are governed by the social beliefs. Family values, set the norms of behavior within a family. It a set of rules that every family abides by. Family values are guidelines, that decide what is right and what is wrong. There sometimes can be friction between the young and the elder members of the family. But it is this friction, that gives the scope for reasoning, understanding, patience and tolerance. A family with the believes, in explaining the logic of doing and not doing things to their child, brings up a person with the right thinking ability. In most families, where the elders are usually dominating, the child fails to understand, the real meaning of values.

The meaning of our family cannot be put into a limit of words. It is an experience that one undergoes, all through the lifetime. A family, cannot be touched, but can be felt in honest contemplations of the mind. The meaning of a family is not just limited to the immediate family you are born with. If it was so myopic, then what would the orphans call a family? I remember a scene from 'The Kid', a legendary movie by Charlie Chaplin. He picks up a small kid off the street to pelt stones at the windows in the vicinity, so that he can fix them up and make money. When the policemen figure this out, they decide to take the child away. It is at this intersection, that the bond between the kid and the tramp (Charlie Chaplin), comes across as the protector (father) and the helpless child, though they are biologically related. What I mean is, a family, is the one, who belongs to you in time of need and joy and helps you grow up to make a family of your own, one day.