Dictionary.com defines family as "any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts and cousins." I say blood doesn't define who you can call family. To me, family are the people who've been by your side through all your trials and tribulations in life thus far and have stood by your side. Then, there are the people who run from you when your life gets a little rough. The people who are there for you and shows genuine characteristics are your family! I have blood relatives who love to see me fall down and not get back up. Or maybe, they would rather see their daughters and sons succeed slightly more than I do but they don't so they act like they're proud of me until someone makes them mad. When someone is angry, their true emotions show and they openly say how they feel about you. If you have done any pillow talking with this person or have told them any secrets that the world shouldn't know, the world will find out when their buttons are pushed.
This is how I know someone isn't family. Have you all ever seen "Lilo and Stitch?" Well, they always say that in Hawaii everyone calls each other cousin because they are all one big, giant ohana. "Ohana means family and family means that no one gets left behind", the famous quote from "Lilo and Stitch." If my "ohana" doesn't support me or isn't there for me and I don't mean financially, I mean emotionally, physically and especially if they pretend they are there for me and are secretly praying for me to fail in life and gossiping about my shortcomings, you are not my family! I don't care what genetic connection you have to me.
The people who know me or have spent any ounce of time with me will automatically find out that I'm outspoken and loud. But I'm not the type of person who will be involved in any drama that, but I'm also not a punk so I'm definitely going to stick up for myself! I absolutely hate family feuds and I hate when there is a part of your family who thinks their better than the next. That's not what family is about. It's not about bragging, and it's certainly not about making someone feel bad because they don't have what you have.
All of us aren't fortunate, and some of us are — what's funniest of all is that some of us pretend that we have more than someone when we have the same or a lesser amount than the other. Real family would never put you in this situation. When real families come together, they love each other, tell them how much they missed them, joke, play and reflect and laugh about old times. There will be the situations where we all will tell what we're currently doing. For example, I'll say I'm in college now at Fontbonne, I have a job and I just bought my first car. That's what I'm doing now and how my life is going briefly. You'll then have a fake family member come in and say how they go to college and have this super high GPA whether that's accurate or not, they have a new fancy car and paying an expensive car note, but I bought mine in cash and they have a job paying this high amount an hour. That's boasting everything—it's good to brag, but don't try to act like you are better than someone. Why put your family down? That's like when I say my major is fashion merchandising and you have that one aunt or old relative that asks you what you plan to even do with that kind of a degree — basically trying to say it's a worthless degree when it's not. No degree is worthless. This is just not what family should do to one another.
I have people that I've known for years, and they've came to all my high school and before highlights and any important days I have, they're ether calling me to check on me or they're actually there. Those people are my family. I also have a friend that I've known all throughout high school and she's the only one I'm still in contact with faithfully in 2016, that's my family. Even those family members that you rarely talk to but when you see them it's all love and no negativity, that's family! The people that lie on you, put you down, tell your business and spread negativity, those people aren't your family, those are sad people who need prayer. Stay far away from them because those are ones who want to see you fall and never get back up again. But I'll tell you something, Darrieya Nelson will always get back up again by the grace of God. Will you?
