What-a-Day_Family

This blog entry is something thats been bothering me for a very loss ass time. What is the definition of family. We all know what "family" means from the dictionary, but every "family" has a different meaning. Let me tell you about my family situation.

My parents does not associate with their family members as much. On my fathers side, they are a little ghetto because they grew up in the projects and my father was the youngest. He had to fend for himself and started working at the age of 11. Ever since he became a cop (now detective), people always asked him for help, especially his family. He still keeps himself neutral with them but we dont go to their house anymore for small get together or even on certain holidays which is sad.

On my mothers side is a little more complicated. My mom is also the youngest in her family growing up in the Philippines. But unlike my father, she was the baby to my grandparents. She and her siblings tend to argue a lot. Because of that one day at my aunts apartment, me and my cousin Glen was just playing ( we were like 12 or something) and a huge argument broke out. My mom and her sister stopped talking and as the years go by eventually she turns her back on all of her brothers and sister. Due to the fact of this event, I am not able to chill with my cousins.

Now as a "family" we chill with my mom's friends on holidays and on weekends instead of our "family". I still chill with Glen, but i have to lie about it. When they hear his name, all they think is him getting high off weed and call him a bad influence. He doesnt do it as much anymore and he is really not a bad person. He really cares for his family and would go out of his way to help out. Even my aunts and uncles want things back to normal but my parents just dont wanna bother trying. This is the reason I am who I am. I stay in my room minding my own and when im off from work I go out. They say I have to stay with the family and do family things. Meanwhile they just watch tv when we have nothing to do and all they do is point out the negatives about me.

What kind of "family" is this? When i think of family, I think of having fun with the individual fam with aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins just chilling and laughing and such. But now if I hang with my cousin, who is not considered family, I get in trouble. Its not easy telling someone you grew up with and say "Sorry man, it's over. We can't chill.". NO, NEVER!!!!!! He is family, he is a BLOOD relative. He always had my back and i had his. Same goes with my other cousins and aunts and uncles. They are blood relatives, there for its "family".

The funny thing is my parents always said "Your friends arent always gonna be there for you, your family will.". Does that make sense to you? I find it kind of hypocritical.

Tell me what you think "family" means to you and let me know about how your family works.