Bad Blood

Family.  What does it mean?  Well, it can mean different things to different people.   But to break down my thoughts, this is what it means to me.

Family may or may not be blood.  Just because they are blood, does not mean you have to accept them as family and just because they are not blood doesn't mean you can't consider them family.  When people marry, for instance, they aren't blood related, but they become a family.

Everyone says, "friends will come and go but family will always be there".  Well, I've come to feel like this isn't necessarily true in the traditional "blood relative" setting. Side note - I'm not referring to my family, they are great.  But the way I've seen how some children treat their parents and vice versa is upsetting.  I don't ever like to get involved in anyone's business, but sometimes I can't help it.

I've witnessed a friend, whom I consider family, go through this hardship with her "blood relative".  It makes me feel helpless.  The most I can do is support her as much as possible.

It's like the old story of the man watching his neighbor beat or berate his wife outside in front of the entire neighborhood.  Do you go help her or do you ignore it and let her be beaten or berated so badly, she is damaged forever?  This can be emotionally or physically.

I'm sorry, but I'm the person that tries to help.  That is in my blood.  That is in the blood of my "family".   My family consists of not only blood relatives, but lifelong friends who I know would (in the words of this ClayCo girl) "take a bullet for me".  Sorry, you can take the girl out of Clayco....

I love my family in Atlanta and here.  And I would do anything for them.  Loyalty, love, support, trust, sacrifice, honesty, protection, acceptance, security, compromise, gratitude, and respect is what makes a family, not your genetic disposition.

I know this is lame, but in the words of Taylor Swift, "band-aids don't fix bullet holes, you say sorry just for show.  If you live like that you live with ghosts".  This has to be my favorite Taylor Swift song because she is so raw and honest.  She talks about the pain someone like family can cause.  You can't always just say you're "sorry".  Your actions have to prove it.  And if you hurt my "family", I'm not so forgiving.  It's one of the sins I know I commit, and I try to control, but I can't.

Thanks for listening to me vent, which is in no way related to cancer, because life isn't always about cancer.  It's about love.