Family is for Life

Yesterday my little man had his last open house of the school year along with a three song performance and we got to share in the closing of his first grade year.  He gladly took us on a tour of his classroom and showed us some of his work on display.  Am so proud of the person he is becoming.  As we toured his classroom he confidently stopped and chatted to a few of his classmates and he just looked so comfortable and happy. As I walked down the hallway of the familiar elementary school I couldn’t help being thankful for the change one generation can have.  When we were children our family life was mostly chaos due to poverty, alcoholism and domestic violence.  Mom was the only one that ever showed up to our school events.  Thus, to see my nephew coming from a now healthy family really makes me grateful.  It’s wonderful what a new and improved generation can accomplish.

My dapper nephew.

His first published book!

Though we had many challenges in our family nucleus when I was a child, the value of family is one that my Latino culture holds above all.  I am really close to my now healthy family.  In our home, we learned that blood is thicker than any other relationship and we mastered forgiveness.  My mom comes from the mindset that marriage and family are for life and she bravely stuck through the painful years.  She showed us, through example, that family forgives all, hopes for a brighter future (especially in dark times) and always loves with great mercy.  To us family is not something that expires once we reach the legal age of eighteen, it’s an ongoing life commitment.  My parents never adopted the I am free after eighteen years of parenting - in fact even now as my oldest sibling is past forty my parents are our voice of wisdom.  We go to them in our troubles and value their input in our lives.  They will take care of us and we will respect and value them until they reach the grave.  It’s a given that we (my siblings and I) will take care of them when they can no longer take care of themselves.  There’s no removing my aging parents from society into an old peoples home in their future. 

A future fashionista! He asked his mom to buy him a bow tie because 

he wanted to look extra handsome for his performance (smile)!

We are tight because we love each other and no amount of injury, hurt, or brokenness will come between us.  Family is for life!  When I was growing up and especially when I neared my eighteen birthday I realized that the silent commitment that my family has to one another is not the popular mindset in American society.  I think it stems from our disposable mentality.  Even in the realm of people society makes it ok to get rid of people once they can no longer contribute.  The am free after eighteen years of parenting is utterly selfish.  How can we ask our children to help us as we age when we are telling them that we will only vow to take care of them for a specific number of years?  Every generation should be better than the last!  Sometimes that means keeping the values of our ancestors.  Am so glad that I come from a traditional family one whose values are for life.  For I know that they will never dispose of me and I will never discard them either.       

Showing off his teacher, works and classroom.