“Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones you accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you you no matter what.” —Unknown

No one is looking so you can just admit it this once. There are some people related to you by blood that you don’t take as family. Where did it all go wrong? Something about them, about you, or about the “family”?

Does that mean family goes beyond blood just as the quote above stated? Okay, at this stage, we can choose sides about what family means and no side will be fully right or wrong. After-all, we also believe this by Desmond Tutu.

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”

We don’t get to choose the family we are born into (our parents, siblings, uncles and aunts), but we do get to choose our friends. You meet “suddenly” and an unquenchable flame starts. Feelings start to grow unconsciously, bonds start to form, and eventually a few of these friends metamorphose into something deeper…Family. It goes beyond race or tribe, language or culture, skin colour or hair texture, religion or profession. It deals with the heart.

Whatever you do, wherever you go, no matter the heights of accomplishment you hit, never forget your family. Whether they are Family by blood or Family by friendship, they are family. Times will change, statuses will change, decades will roll by but for these ones, nothing ever changes.

Go out of your way to help, do a little bit more for them. Stick out your neck for them, pray with them, pray for them. Check their all-round growth (financial, spiritual, educational, career, relationship,…everything). You may not be able to stop them from falling, but be sure to help them on their feet again.

Because eventually, all that matters is family and family means leaving no-one behind.