Society has painted the picture of what a family “should” be—Mom, Dad, 2.5 children, and a dog, all living happily under the same roof. That image has been so ingrained in us that we are convinced that unless we have the above, we don’t really have a family. What a heavy burden we put on ourselves!

Rest assured that the interaction, love, support, openness, understanding, tolerance, sharing, and giving that is present among members is what creates a family. Wholeness and health come from how a family lives and loves, not from its structure. The family that comforts, cares, trusts, and loves will be the family that remains loving and strong, no matter what its members have been through.