I’ve been thinking and writing about family a lot in the past couple weeks. Not for any particular reason necessarily. But, I do know, as the years go by, I am realizing more and more that family are the ones that accept me exactly how I am.

I am blessed enough to have a large family unit with infinite amounts of love. On top of my blood relatives, I have friends that I consider to be family to me. I know that everyone has a different background when it comes to this subject. Some individuals have small families, some have underlying issues with their loved ones, and some come from broken homes. Regardless of the story, I know one thing for certain: everyone has an Ohana.

An important lesson to be learned from the children’s movie "Leo and Stitch" is that, “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” I am one to believe, that everyone has at least one person that they consider to be their Ohana. By the end of the Hawaiian themed movie, Leo’s family was a group of abnormal looking aliens and her older sister that is attempting to parent her. That’s not very realistic outside of Disney’s imaginary world, but it serves my point that connection can be found from any source, regardless of the situation. It simply requires people loving people, and remembering to care about others.

When I think of the word "Ohana," I think of open arms and a judgment free zone. I think of people I can be my complete self around without having to worry about any expectations. I think of my cares melting away just because they are in my presence. I think of laughter, tears, hugs, grief, love, adventure, smiles, sadness, happiness, peacefulness and everything in between. They are the ones that make life expressive.

I know my Ohana will be there for me on the highest peaks and the lowest drops of life. They have my best intentions at heart, and I can trust them to keep me on the right path in life. Of course, they offer support when I stray from that path I was supposed to be following. I can expect a “did you get home okay?” text from an Ohana member, and an embarrassing birthday post for me every year. I honestly don’t know where I would be without these special people in my life. I hope everyone can discover and experience these aspects of family.

I hope you appreciate your Ohana and never forget about them. Whoever you consider them to be, these are your people and will be your light on your darkest days. But most importantly I hope you always remember: “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”