What if My Family Doesn’t Feel Like Family?
Safety is a fundamental need, and families set the foundation of our safety, but sometimes family isn’t our safe space
We’re coming upon what is perhaps the most notorious time of the year, the holiday season. There are usually two camps of people during the holiday season, those who love it and those who don’t. For those who love this time of year, gathering with family is one of the best things about it. For those who don’t, it’s because gathering with family is one of the worst things about it. We can’t all be as lucky as Dom and the Fast family.
My dad made it a point to impart as much wisdom as he could during my childhood. I can admit that I didn’t always understand, and he would tell me, “You don’t understand what I’m saying right now. You think I’m being mean. But don’t worry. One day you will.” One piece of wisdom he repeatedly gave sounded like this, “Don’t get caught up in the titles of people in your life. Cousin, Auntie, Mama. Just cause they’re your family doesn’t mean they’re your people cause family will do you worse than a person on the street. You know Cain killed Abel.”
Some of you may think as I once did regarding what my dad said. Wow, that’s so mean. When you come from a loving, supportive family where there is mutual…