Myself, mom, my uncle, and my two nephews. 2013
Since I can remember, I have always been told that in the end, all we have is our clan. Friends come and go, but family is forever, like it or not. This includes the members that just call your house to gossip. Those are the ones you're really stuck with.
In today's society, we see the value of family going down. We see the value of one's self rising. It seems like it's all about self-interest anymore. Even with religion, we see a lot of the use of, "I" instead of "We". It's all about self-discovery. Self-discovery is great. Don't get me wrong on that. However, there needs to be a balance of self and family, and your self should fit into that family. Nourishing your family, with that in mind, should help you nourish yourself.
An unfortunate problem we have in today's society, is that we just don't take care of each other. Kids can't wait to leave their homes, and parent's can't wait to get the kids out of their hair. Then, the parent's will complain about how the kids never come to see them. It's an endless cycle, and the blame rests on our own shoulders. I'm amazed at how many people are surprised that I'm my mother's son, when I take her to the cancer center. People always say to my mother, "You're very lucky to have him for a son. He takes good care of you." While we do like to hear that folks still respect family still, it's terrible that it's looked at as something special. Shouldn't we do this for our family anyways?
Myself and my brother.
When my brother got to where he couldn't move around great, when his brain tumor came back, my uncles and mom took care of him. Mom was right beside of him when he passed. My uncles and mom took care of my great aunt as well. My papaw was another one that was taken care of. At this very moment, I'm staying up to take care of my mother, who just had chemo today, and is running a temperature. Doing all of this wasn't because anyone wanted recognition. We've never been the types to worry much about what people think of us. It was simply, because it had to be done. It's a matter of doing something that you should be doing in the first place.
I can understand folks not getting along with their families. At some point, however, that chain needs to break. We need to get back to that family mentality. Even when we have differences, or get mad at one another, we need to stand together to face the world. That's what I was looking for when we first got Ulv Hamre together. I wanted a family atmosphere that we could bring our actual families into, and look at each other, although some not blood related, as one big family. So far, so good.
Living life alone and looking out for yourself, can take you far, if done carefully. But a life surrounded by family...some that you've picked up along the way, and some by blood, makes life worth it. You celebrate the ups and downs. You pick each other up. You laugh, cry, and stand together. In honoring that family mentality, I believe you truly honor your ancestors.
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