Whether you're referring to a group of people related by blood or a group of friends with whom you share an extreme bond, we all have some special people that we consider our family. In some cases, we have many of these people. My family consists of a lot of different people, some related by blood, some by friendship. Regardless of the way they came into my life, these people all mean something special to me. Large families are extremely entertaining. Being part of a large family means you always have at least one person to talk to, a guaranteed friend. Whether that person is your aunt, uncle, cousin, mom, grandmother, sister, or brother, it sure means a lot to always have someone to talk to without feeling disconnected or awkward. There's always someone to make you laugh, make you feel appreciated, make you feel important. Here is my list of eight specific family members that are integral to every large family.
1. The Funny One
Everyone has a member of their family that can easily become a stand-up comedian. These funny friends always have jokes, puns and sarcasm to interject into any conversation, even the serious ones. They constantly feel the need to make others laugh, and continue to try even when their jokes fall flat. This family member always wants to have a good time and wants others to feel comfortable and happy as well. The funny family member's main goal is to have a great time, and they end up making every family reunion a comedy show.
2. The Kooky One
We all have that one family member that is always making us question if they're completely sane. We find ourselves constantly smiling yet worrying about them at the same time. They have the weirdest things to say and do, but they completely own it. Their funky, loopy and outgoing personality is essential to bringing the entire family together for some great times! Our lives would definitely be boring without these kooky family members!
3. The Dangerous One
They're risky, careless and completely outrageous, yet they know that family always comes first. These family members go with the flow and do what they want without fearing repercussions. Whether they go skydiving, backpacking through Europe or climbing Mt. Everest, they know that life is nothing without taking chances. These family members will insist on doing things that are completely out of their comfort zone and we're glad they remain part of our lives, although they dangerously risk it sometimes.
4. The Nerdy One
Everyone has that one family member that is secretly a complete nerd. Whether they love analyzing comic book story lines, reading into conspiracy theories or talking about intergalactic beings, these nerdy family members definitely always have something interesting to contribute, although it may not be always canon. They make our lives more interesting and make us all feel a bit smarter with their riveting questions. Regardless of their nerd status, we know that it wouldn't be smart to underestimate these family members.
5. The Loud One
Yup, we all immediately thought of someone in our family who is many decibels louder than everyone else. The loud family member is always the one you can hear the minute their car pulls up to your house, or even from their own house. These loud staples of our families are definitely special, they voice their opinions and aren't afraid to be outspoken! Although their volume can sometimes be a bit of a detriment in times that are meant to be silent, everyone knows the loud family members are the ones that definitely get the party started when they walk in, just like that Ke$ha song.
6. The Cocky One
Some of our family members like to express their confidence in a subtle way, but everyone knows that one family member who isn't afraid to talk about how smart, perfect and correct they are. Although many people can get agitated with this one family member, they deserve respect for being able to fully voice their confidence at all times. We know that deep down, these family members have love for things other than themselves, although sometimes that love is extremely deep down, like ocean-floor deep. We all need a cocky family member to try to imitate sometimes when our self-esteem is feeling low.
7. The Emotional One
This emotional family member loves to feel all the feelings! They constantly place themselves in other's shoes and they enjoy going through a variety of emotions throughout their day. We love these family members because of their ability to connect with other and to sense the mood in the room. These family members are extremely strong and passionate and they love/hate/feel endlessly, plus, they make a great crying buddy!
8. The Gullible One
The gullible member of our family is the one who will believe anything and everything you tell them! They are very quick to believe jokes are real, and sometimes fail to sense sarcasm. Although they constantly ask "really?" and you have to explain that it was a joke, you know they make your life that much more interesting. These family members are innocent, sweet and completely sincere. We would die without them, not literally, though, that was intended to be a joke.
Every family is completely unique, yet they all have those specific people that brighten up and add some spice to every family situation. We are all different, yet we share things that make us completely similar. Families are beautiful. Families are crazy.
Families are everything.