What does family mean to you
What does family mean to you
What does family mean to you
What does the word «family» mean for you? Whom does it include? Do you see your pet as a part of your family?
Family, that’s a strong word. For me, it means to feel secure, to have someone who you can count on, who shares your problems. But it also means to have respect for each other and responsibility.
S., girl, Germany
Family is a really important word. I think it is a word we use about people we love.
L., girl, Denmark
For me my family is something very important in my life because they are people you know will never fail you and I think my pet is a member of the family because all the family love it and every day it is with me.
O., boy, Spain
Family is very important because parents are always with you when you need them and they can also give you pieces of advice with your problems. I think that your pet is an important part of the family, but parents and sisters/brothers are more.
J., girl, Spain
I think family is the most important thing in our life. Maybe a pet can be part of family. We have pets, and we love them so much!
T., girl, Turkey
My Family and I
What does your family mean to you? How important is it for you?
To me, family means a lot more than a relative by blood or marriage. It means the people who accept you no matter who you are, where there’s no hatred or judgment. The love of a family should be unconditional, and everyone should try their best to provide all they can for the people in their family, emotionally and financially. Family are the people that everyone deserves to feel secure, and comfortable with, even if they aren’t lucky enough to have that.
Everything people learn comes from the way their family brought them up (presuming they have lived with them all their life), and therefore, everything you are is because of your family. Family are the people that everyone deserves to feel secure, and comfortable with, even if they aren’t lucky enough to have that. It does not matter if they are your blood relatives; if they have been there for you all their life, and will be there for you unconditionally for the rest of your life, then they are your family!
B., girl, United Kingdom
I think a family is the most important thing in a person’s life. A family enlarges their children, educates their children. I think first education begins in the family. If a child doesn’t learn anything in her/his family, I think she/he can’t be successful. We must be careful about our families. They are the crown of our heads.
Z., girl, Turkey
Family is important for Turkish people. They take care of each other, love and protect. Sometimes there are arguments, but they are infectious things. Some families are conservative, I mean, they take care of each other more than the other families. They don’t give permission to their daughters for going out, don’t buy more toys for their sons. Because there can be bad things outside, or while playing with toy guns. Some families are more modern than conservative families. They don’t think like that, they do everything their kids want to do, want to buy, or want to play with. It’s a kind of showing their love to their kids. Like everything, it shows some problems. In a modern family, kids begin to have doubts that their parents love or don’t love them. In a conservative family, kids live with a suffocating people and life.
I have a dream family. My dream mum has black long hair, green eyes and white skin. My dream father has black luxuriant hair, golden eyes and white skin. My dream brother has curly and luxuriant black hair, green eyes and white skin. My dream mum and my dream father are strong, generous, kind, polite people. My dream brother is an amusing and cute person.
T., girl, Turkey
Family is the main thing in the world. Here you can speak about a lot of things and have relationships. My mother always says: «Family will be there for ever. so sad it is, a friendship could go down.»
D., boy, Germany
My family means everything to me.
E., girl, Denmark
Family Traditions
Our family tradition is to fly or to drive to Switzerland in the holidays. In Switzerland live my aunts, uncles and cousins. Every holiday we drive there and stay with my aunt. She lives with my cousin there. It’s very beautiful there and we do a lot of things together. I like to stay in Switzerland and when I have married I will live and work there.
S., girl, Germany
Every summer, we’ve got a great family meeting with all our relatives on my father’s side. And we are a lot of people, I’ve got about 16 cousins. It’s a lot of fun. When I was younger, every Sunday we did «Sunday activities». We went to the museum or to a theme park or stuff.
S., girl, Germany
What does family mean for you, and how has it shaped you?
Thousand Reflections by Sandbox
Issue #35
About Thousand Reflections: Sandbox is full of people from all walks of life and background. Here, we try to tap into this collective wisdom by offering a prompt bi-weekly and sourcing short responses from the members.
This week’s prompt
It all starts with the family, for better or for worse. We all have families, but we don’t all think of them in the same ways, and they have varying degrees of influence on what we become — sometimes aligned, sometimes not. Indeed, we don’t all define the word family in the same way.
For this first prompt we ask, what does ‘family’ mean for you, and by that token, how have your family customs/values shaped who you are now?
Family for me means the ones who will be beside me no matter what happens, the most loved ones. The outer world loves me when I am strong and effective and dislikes me when I am weak and ineffective. Actually, some good friends also count as a family according to this description. Family are the people that stay beside me even in the toughest of times, the worst of the worst times, even whenever something is very wrong with me.
I grew up in a conservative Muslim family, which is maybe why I am such a shy person now. But because of it, we had a strong process of differentiating right and wrong. I think my family taught me this well.
My parents had strong confidence in me from childhood, although I disappointed them many times, such as not being able to bring the results they wanted, not working as hard as I should or lying about working when I wasn’t. But at the end of the day, when I went back to them and confessed I failed, they always gave me shelter and hope and showed me how to move forward.
Another big influence came from the fact that I was never forced to do anything. I was given many choices, and especially in terms of selecting career options and choosing what to do and how to do it, my family has always given me autonomy. They were supportive also in my studies. Sometimes if I woke up late or wasn’t able to study, I would get very angry at myself. But my father just told me, don’t waste time now weeping for it, study right now in the time you have.
I’m very grateful for this unconditional support, even up until now. When I quit my job two years ago to pursue a different career option, my mom was always there beside me supporting and continues to do so, even when I’m in the toughest situations. Vice versa, it’s also my full-time responsibility to take care of my family no matter what happens and I try to do my very best in this scenario.
I am privileged. Deeply, disgustingly privileged, because I was loved from the beginning. And not only loved, I was supported.
My parents didn’t have an agenda for me and my sisters. They just wanted us to become ourselves. If I wanted to start dancing, that was fine. When I wanted to quit, that was fine too. With gentle discussions and advice when I got too far off track, but for the most part, they just let me find me. Sometimes, that involved letting me do things they knew might scrape me up — but that I’d learn from. I wonder how they could know — and how I might know, when I have children — where that line is, between preventing your kids from getting hurt, and allowing them to learn by experience.
It was my father who told me that it was bullshit to do a second major just because it was safer than only studying dance. But he wasn’t just walking the walk — I watched him, from the time I was sixteen, leave his law practice and follow his heart. I watched his struggles, his triumphs, and I learned. He invited all of us to come with him in finding our own journeys, and me, my mother, and my two sisters have all tried to follow.
My family isn’t perfect. We fight. We get on each other’s nerves. My sisters and my parents have their own issues that I know only barely, and don’t participate in. But we’re family, bound by all our passions and determination. The word means something that can’t be expressed, and I have trouble to articulate it.
The greatest custom my family shares is storytelling. We tell each other stories, we tell our own stories, we write stories that don’t exist. It is the greatest gift I have received, and it bleeds into everything I do.
This is the first part on our June series on Family. If you enjoy this series, be sure to click the green heart to recommend and follow the publication so you never miss an issue!
Topic: What does «Family» mean to you.
What does «Family» mean to you.
12.05.2016 by DXS
Are any of you close to your family? I’m not. My siblings and I don’t speak to each other unless we have to. In fact, my mom is all about «Family is everything» stuff. I don’t relate to her feelings on this (although as a child I had to «pretend to» which resulted in faking my entire childhood. ). «Family» to me is just. «the people I grew up with» and nothing more. Don’t hate them, don’t love them, but I just don’t get the «family is everything» stuff. Whether or not I spend Christmas or Thanksgiving with them is not an issue, don’t care if I do or don’t. (Ok, I lean toward. «trying to make an excuse not to. «)
I don’t know if it’s me and the alexithymia thing or maybe the family dynamics («give the appearance that we are close knit» when we are not, what a joke. )
Just wondering how the rest of you related to your family.
I’m not close with my family. I have one sibling, an older sister, we get along just fine and usually have a great time when we see each other, but we don’t really have any contact in between. I don’t honestly care to «catch up» on all the details of her life frequently, I just see her when I see her.
My mom and I don’t have a great relationship. I like to hang out with my dad often. We have several interests in common and spend time doing activities we both enjoy.
I used to not really like holidays and family gatherings. Now I’m ok with them as long as I can leave whenever I want for a break.
«Family» to me just means biological relatives. I can’t say I feel different about them than I do any friend I’ve known for a long time.
«Family,» like «home,» is not a word I actually use. I reference my initerant locations by their names, and «family» are referenced as «relations.»
Just because we are related. I have frequent contact with these relations, but I accepted long ago that the reasons behind my continued diligence was not due to any meaning in the relationships, but because there would be emotional drama directed at me if I stopped, and I am unable to deal with the emotional drama of others when it involves me. I am also aware that these people have feelings, and feelings for me in fact, and that anything but continued friendliness on my part would cause them harm, and I don’t believe in causing harm on an ethical level.
We are on terms I consider to be as good as they can decently be. We stick to strictly benal, superficial subjects and anyone’s real feelings about anything never enter dialogue. I see them often, but really, 99% of my life is off limits. This, to me, is keeping the peace and maintaining a status quo and that is sufficient.
That actually looks horrible on paper, but honestly, I believe this is how many families really operate, and people just hide behind the «family is everything» facade to avoid facing up to the real distance that is there. An alexithymic is able to acknowledge that distance sincerely.
To me the family is equally significant as other biologically unrelated persons. Naturally, because we have shared one shelter for about 17 years, I tend to know them a bit better than other people. But this does not make the relationship special in any way, it is just a bit more predictable.
I had a period of time when I tend to speak a lot to my mother about my confusing feelings and difficulty to make decisions. I thought she must understand and give me some practical advice. But she never did and we ended up quarreling. So I gave up and she knows very little about my private life.
The problem is the pressure arising from their expectation that I feel something else to them than I actually do. They expect that I should give them priority for my holidays, that I should be happy spending time with them. I am not particularly unhappy, but sometimes just prefer to do other things. And then I am usually perceived as that pubescent rebel, who does not want to stay with her family, just because it is family. (No, its really not my case and btw I am 33).
They also expect that I would be always interested in how they are. I am not (the «how are you» question is discussed elsewhere), but I learned to fake it.
Now, as I learned faking, I also learned to lie easily. Lie instead of telling the truth that they do not understand and do not want to hear. Lie about having a boyfriend (I never had), or liking my cousins (I never felt anything in particular towards them), lie about my work and place I live (they think that the country where I stay is not safe, so yes, I pretend to be in another country).
The scary thing is that I dont feel so much guilty about all these lies. I just take it as a way to deal with their expectations. I tried to be as honest as I am here with them as well, but it ended as a catastrophy. It seems so difficult and painful for them to understand, that I think its better if they die in their ignorance.
Yes, all I have written looks really terrible. But thats how it is.
When people ask me if I’m going «home» for Christmas, I tell them «nope, going to visit parents.» Then I get this puzzled look. Then I explain to them that «home» is where. *I* live. I no longer live in my parents home.
My family is just «people I was raised in a house with and spent time» as one person said. I have no special feelings. Holidays are more of a «have to» than a «want to.» HATE IT!
I am little puzzled here.
For me family is close as I still live with my parents due to economical benefits and stuff. And I think they mean a lot to me in many ways.
There is a frequent tradition to say that «I love you» in our family. I have trouble with this because I can’t say that I feel love. I don’t even feel emotional connection to my parents really. My brother sometimes elicits some feelings of caring in me which really doesn’t occur with anyone else. But we are very distant and we never keep in contact really. I think he might also have so alexithymic traits.
It is the problem that I think I ones felt really affectionate toward my family and friends when I was still very young. But it has all changed. I don’t feel affectionate towards anyone. Does anyone share this feeling of loosing your emotions? Or do you think you never even had them?
I feel nothing toward my family, too! Love? What is that?
I feel nothing toward my family, too! Love? What is that?
I guess even for NT’s it’s different things to different people. To me, it’s sort of a mental construct to give our lives meaning and involves choosing to care about some people more than others. For example, caring more about the soldier who is willing to sacrifice for a cause that you share than a selfish, greedy person who cheats others just to advance themselves. Misfortune happens to everyone, it’s just how we respond to someone else’s misfortune depends on how we’ve prioritized them (or how much we love them, if you will).
Evolutionary biologists have recently been spending time studying why humans are altruistic, and I think determined that caring for those closest to us (family, tribe) provided an evolutionary advantage (more likely to reproduce).
But even though it goes against cultural norms, we can choose not to prioritize our family if we feel they are not deserving. But when we choose to care about someone who also cares about us, the feelings can be self-reinforcing. «I am important to you, which validates me, so you are important to me».
That actually looks horrible on paper, but honestly, I believe this is how many families really operate, and people just hide behind the «family is everything» facade to avoid facing up to the real distance that is there. An alexithymic is able to acknowledge that distance sincerely.
I totally get this. That is how my family is. Everything superficial, disagreements are NOT ALLOWED.
family to me is biological relations.
Three types of famillies (there may be, and often is, an overlap between the types):
1. family through blood-ties (mother, father, children, sibling, cousin, etc);
2. family through contract (husband/wife, inlaws, etc)
3. family through shared value-system
Some family is life-long while others may/may not be temporary:
-Blood ties should not be severed.
-Contract ties can be severed, however, through a due process.
-Family through shared value-system get severed when value-system is no longer shared.
Each family member of mine has certain rights on me depending on the type of family and nature of relation.
The easiest to maintain is the family through shared value-system and most difficult through blood-ties.
Ex. I may have complete opposite view/judgement than my mother on anything and everything; I may not even enjoy her company, however, it is her right that I take care of her in old age and be in best of manners. even through our clashing views and disagreements. (Example is hypothetical. My mother is most affectionate towards me)
Being black and white is supposed to adhere to real incidents or to respectful moral rules. Which is the family of yours that you consider easy to maintain through common values and what are the real incidents or the respectable moral rules making you have a black and white point of view on the family issue?
Being black and white is supposed to adhere to real incidents or to respectable moral rules. Which is the family of yours that you consider easy to maintain through common values and what are the real incidents or the respectable moral rules making you have a black and white point of view on the family issue?
personally I feel no emotion towards my genetic family due to dealing with childhood abuse and everyone simply turning a blind eye to it which quickly made me realize that to me family does not mean who you are related to do but those you are willing to die for.
-Blood ties should not be severed.
DISAGREE! If your blood family cannot respect your boundaries and feels that they are entitled to trample all over you and you are just «too sensitive» if you raise a fuss, then I think those should get severed if the person feels like it.
That’s how my family is. I’m not «supposed» to have boundaries, I’m not «supposed» to say no. WRONG.
But they pretend to love me. I am severely alexi, but needed my parents’ love and never wanted to lose them. However, after realizing that they are both mentally abusing narcissists, I had to change my mind about wanting to love them. I spent a lifetime in silence even in serious and/or traumatic situations involving others. I’ve always been odd like that, but after not being able to connect with people socially (no conversation skills, eye contact, TOM), I realized I was different. My parents never wanted to notice because they didn’t want me talking to counselors about them. I now know they were going to accuse me of lying about anything I said about them.
Also, I get sanctioned by women a lot. They are «triggered» by me not expressing emotion when I talk about my life which is traumatic.
stephieweffie, you speak about your parents in the past, like you left home; good. If your parents are really narcissists, you don’t need that. Did you finally see a counselor after leaving your parents (it sounds like you did)? I was wondering what the counselor told you that made you realize your parents were narcissists, or (if no counselor was involved) what allowed you to see their true nature.
stephieweffie, you speak about your parents in the past, like you left home; good. If your parents are really narcissists, you don’t need that. Did you finally see a counselor after leaving your parents (it sounds like you did)? I was wondering what the counselor told you that made you realize your parents were narcissists, or (if no counselor was involved) what allowed you to see their true nature.
stephieweffie, you speak about your parents in the past, like you left home; good. If your parents are really narcissists, you don’t need that. Did you finally see a counselor after leaving your parents (it sounds like you did)? I was wondering what the counselor told you that made you realize your parents were narcissists, or (if no counselor was involved) what allowed you to see their true nature.
I’ve always thought of family like electron shells or maybe the layers of an onion or tree: imideate, principled attachment, «friends»(cousins that aren’t annoying), and other.
While I’ve never felt anything like love, my parents have raised me to the best of their ability. I can tell the my dad and I will never see eye to eye regarding my personality so we keep our distance. My mom is tolerable if extremely annoying at times seeing as she assumes she knows the answer to all my problems, a trait I’m told is maternal.
The more I write the colder I seem hmm food for thought.
I’m a very principled person as I see no inherent value in morals, religious or otherwise, as such filial piety has always been big with me so I always treat them (outwardly) with the respect I feel they deserve. This is doubly so for my grandparents whom I respect. So I attend holiday gatherings if only to see them occasionally.so I put on the mask along with the rest of my clothes and wade into that horrid sea called society but the more of it I see the less I connect. As an example this year I saw two new baby cousins and didn’t bother to ask for much less remember their names and faces after, I was told my dog we had given to my aunt had died of cancer and again nothing. I pretended to be sad sure but as I heard my cousin had been an emotional wreak after I had an odd moment where I truly felt alien I couldn’t understand why they were so distraught. After these events I’m compleatly drained and have to hide away for awhile.
Guess I rambled abit there. Sorry this is my first post so the experience is akward to say the least.
Not much else I can say as nothing comes to mind. Now I think of it a forum for discussing the ineffable is quite amusing, if anything I’m glad I found this site as it’s relieved my boredom for now and given me some answers to this peculiar personality trait.
Also, I get sanctioned by women a lot. They are «triggered» by me not expressing emotion when I talk about my life which is traumatic.
I relate more to men than women. Cuz I’m «logical.» I HATE shopping, I don’t see why women gotta buy lots of shoes, I don’t get this. I only buy clothes I need. I don’t need to «shop.»
Yeah, I get the «sanctioning» by women. I don’t have the emotional stuff either.
In fact, I once dated a guy who was very emotional but he hated that he was. and he hated that I wasn’t. Explosive relationship.
In today’s world most people seem to shop based on an emotional response to advertisements. People seem to have an emotional desire to keep up with the Jones’, and express themselves with products, or fashion. I don’t get this and that is one advantage of alexithymia. It is hard to take advantage of us by pulling on our heart-strings.
I really only care for my little sister and my brother, my mum, dad and my Nan who sleeps over regularly to spend time with my little sister.
I’m told about some relatives and the awkward thing is am I supposed to even care, oh look someone I’m related too while I muster up a smile and sign of interest over a complete stranger who happens to share at least some DNA.
I’m not trying to imply that I’m a rude person, it’s just that i’v Lived with some relatives who I don’t want anything to do with. I’d just treat you like any stranger with common decency being related doesn’t mean anything.
I’m gonna keep it short, I just get a little rant and end up unrelated to the topic at hand. So to sum it up if you’re not a pleasant person in general to be around DNA doesn’t matter to me.
I really only care for my little sister and my brother, my mum, dad and my Nan who sleeps over regularly to spend time with my little sister.
I’m told about some relatives and the awkward thing is am I supposed to even care, oh look someone I’m related too while I muster up a smile and sign of interest over a complete stranger who happens to share at least some DNA.
I’m not trying to imply that I’m a rude person, it’s just that i’v Lived with some relatives who I don’t want anything to do with. I’d just treat you like any stranger with common decency being related doesn’t mean anything.
I’m gonna keep it short, I just get a little rant and end up unrelated to the topic at hand. So to sum it up if you’re not a pleasant person in general to be around DNA doesn’t matter to me.
They never understood my symptoms, and I never understand what they are thinking and feeling.
They never understood my symptoms, and I never understand what they are thinking and feeling.
So recently me (23), my mother, and possibly my younger sister (16) have all basically found out we have Alexithymia and it has really helped our relationship to each other if I’m being honest, we’ve stopped trying to fit in the usual family dynamics that’s been forced down our throats. We all see each as Just people that we happen to share a relation too and share time together, and i see them as more like your typical friends than mother and sister.
The best thing is that we have developed a healthy respect for each other spaces, and we don’t really expect anything communication wise outside a shared meme every now and then
Hello everybody! All this subject is new for me, but I think all this stuff make sense. I cant have emotional feelings to my family specially my mom and dad. I realy fell bad with that and since now I dint understand why.
I understand the disconnect between what other family members seem to have and what you feel towards them. Not understanding what exactly they feel has always made me curious. But knowing the value in family life I have spent much of my life in making sure I fulfill any duty or responsibility to my family as I can. Rides to the airport helping set up for familial events and so on. I know I am likely not as close to them as they are to one another but I think my responsiveness to them helps keep the relationship bonds secure.
How i feeling about my family?
I feel nothing
Family are just people who happen to be related to me, that’s it. I have very little to do with them, the same as with anyone else.
I view family not as relatives but as Ohana, that is people you can mooch off of and can mooch off of you. I have good relationships with my brother and mother and stepfather, and had one with my dad when he was still alive. I wish I was better at the interpersonal thing with the rest of my relatives.
I adhere to the old adage «Never a borrower or a lender be.» I don’t borrow things from relatives (or anyone else) and I prefer not to lend things to people either. If I need something I buy it, they should too.
I adhere to the old adage «Never a borrower or a lender be.»
mooch
verb INFORMAL
1.NORTH AMERICAN ask for or obtain (something) without paying for it.
«a bunch of your friends will show up, mooching food»
noun
noun: mooch; plural noun: mooches
1.
British
an instance of loitering in a bored or listless manner.
2.
North American
a beggar or scrounger.
English Listening Lesson on
Family
Listen A Minute.com
THE LESSON ON FAMILY
Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Family. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
What does family mean to you? In a perfect world, all families should be happy and everyone should get on well together. I know a lot of families that have many problems. Brothers and sisters who don’t like each other, parents who never talk to each other. I wonder why this is. How can you live so close to your family members and feel apart from them? There is a lot of talk in the news about the breakdown of family life. Divorce is rising everywhere in the world. This means single parents have less time to spend with their children, which creates problems. Maybe the stress of modern life puts too much pressure on families. It seems as though family life was better a generation or two ago. Is this true for families in your country?
MY e-BOOK
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THE ACTIVITIES
LISTENING GAP FILL
What does family ___________________? In a perfect world, all families should be happy and everyone should ___________________ together. I know ___________________ families that have many problems. Brothers and sisters ___________________ each other, parents who never talk to each other. I wonder why this is. How can you live ___________________ your family members and feel apart from them? There is a lot of talk ___________________ about the ___________________ family life. Divorce is rising everywhere in the world. This means single parents have ___________________ spend with their children, which creates problems. Maybe ___________________ modern life puts too much pressure on families. It ___________________ family life was better a generation or two ago. Is this true for families in your country?
CORRECT THE SPELLING
What does family mean to you? In a pfrtece world, all families should be happy and everyone should get on well hgtoeter. I know a lot of families that have many eoblpmrs. Brothers and sisters who don’t like each other, parents who never talk to each other. I wonder why this is. How can you live so close to your family mermbse and feel aarpt from them? There is a lot of talk in the news about the wrkedoabn of family life. Divorce is rising everywhere in the world. This means single estapnr have less time to spend with their children, which sctreea problems. Maybe the stress of morden life puts too much pressure on families. It seems as though family life was better a oegraneint or two ago. Is this true for families in your country?
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
mean family does What you to? In a perfect world, all families should be happy get should everyone and well on together. a know I have that families of lot many problems. Brothers and sisters who each don’t other like, parents who never talk to each other. I wonder why this is. How so to can live close your you family members and feel apart from them? There is a lot of talk in the news family of breakdown the about life. Divorce is rising everywhere in the world. This means single parents have less to with children time spend their, which creates problems. Maybe the stress modern puts much of life too pressure on families. It seems as though family life was or generation a better ago two. Is this true for families in your country?
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
Our Blog
What Does Family Mean To You?
Throughout the month of December, Travelance celebrated the second anniversary of the Super Visa program. We invited you to share your Super Visa stories and what family means to you by visiting our website www.travelance.ca. We’d like to share some of the thoughts and stories you submitted.
This is the third blog post of a three part series.
Family – there is something special we feel when we are with them. We feel something even stronger when we are without them – when we long for them. When we hear the word family, most of us think about happy memories or remember the warm and comforting sights, sounds and smells that made our house a home. Perhaps we reminisce about the laughter and tears we’ve shared with our families over the years. For those of us who live far away from our families our hearts long for a warm embrace, a home cooked meal or simply to be in their presence.
What does family mean to you?
Families provide guidance and love. They provide emotional support, care and encouragement. They take care of our well-being, add balance to our lives and ground us.
Lindsay, Ontario
Family is my support, my centre, my faith.
Madhuri, British Columbia
Family means joy. It gives you happiness whenever you hear about your family. It fills your heart with gladness whenever you hear stories from your family. And because of that, you are able to sustain the bond that you have, despite the distance that you have in between.
Elena, Ontario
Family means strength, because no matter what you and your family go through, you know that you will be able to surpass all, as long as you work together in one single goal. The success of one’s family is not about money or wealth. It is about the tight bond and relationship that you have with one another, making you all strong enough to face all challenges in life.
Your Stories
For many of us the holidays are synonymous with family. While a growing number of families keep in touch online through chat services such as Skype using a webcam, human contact and physical presence cannot be replicated.
Diwata shares her story.
I want to share my personal story about my family. This Christmas, while I am excitedly wrapping gifts, I can’t help but think of my family back home, who are many miles away.
I was raised in Asia, but when I got married, my husband and I decided to migrate to Canada. It has been 15 years already, but I can still say that sometimes, I miss spending Christmas back home, with my parents and siblings. Because now, I only get to see them on my laptop’s webcam, and you can bet that tears fill my eyes whenever I see them. But those tears are not just sadness…it is longing for their embrace and the warm atmosphere back home. How I wish I could bring them to Canada so that we could be together again and celebrate Christmas Eve while drinking a nice glass of wine, and feasting on the delicious meals that I have prepared.
Family for me means everything. If I can bring them all in one place, that will really make me happy and complete. It is my wish this coming Christmas. I really hope that I can make this wish come true, so that we can all be together again, happily celebrating Christmas Eve, just like what I have been dreaming.
Raj shares a similar story.
I have to say the hardest thing for me was to make the decision to leave my family behind and move to Canada. I knew this move would help me to provide a better life for my loved ones. After careful consideration, I sought their advice and approval. With their support I decided to take my chances.
During the holidays, it’s the hardest. We are a big family, and every Diwali and New Year we would all gather together, eat, give each other presents and talk about our future. Seeing my mother, my father, my grandparents, and my brothers and sisters all together, laughing, having a good time – that’s what I miss the most. Of course, during the holidays we use Skype even more, but it’s not the same. I watch my child, nieces and nephews grow up from far. And I can’t wait to see all my dear ones and have them near me again.
But the good news is that I will be doing this soon, and I can’t wait for this coming year as my mother, father, wife and child will come visit me for the first time since I arrived in Canada four years ago!