I dig families that borrow the loyalty and spirit of nuclear families of the 50’s, while leaving the creepy conformity and passive aggression behind.
Every generation has sweet family tactics we can repurpose.
The current challenge is to stretch the limits of our openness, self-expression, and compassion.
My favorite families are those where the adult children share photos hanging with their parents, and they all look like some multi-generational team.
It kicks ass.
Everyone looks happy to be there, but they also won’t hesitate to knock you out if you mess with any one of their crew.
I can only hope to create that fierce loyalty in my kids; that they’ll choose to hang with our old asses on the weekends because we look for new ways to enjoy one another.
Many of my Gen-Y and Millennial coworkers give me hope for the future of family units. They pose for sick family selfies jumping in the air, or laterally stacking atop one another in white beach attire.
They are self-aware, emanating love and silliness.
Pics of grown daughters hugging their Dads especially melt my heart.
We have to congratulate that Dad on a job well done.
Everyone on our home team needs to know they are irreplaceable. They need to know their unique contribution creates an advantage for the team.
They need to know they are safe being themselves, and that love isn’t contingent on following the rules.
The rules are simple: unconditional love, and loyalty to the team. All the other rules only help us stay in our lanes and keep the trains moving on time.
The more we evolve in our openness, acceptance, and respect of our family members: whether we’re gay, straight, bi-racial, transgendered, bipartisan, hillbilly, meathead, spiritual, atheist, ex-con, pro-sports, whatever…
We’ll always have a home.
Like a traveling carnival we can roll through at any Summer BBQ.
Family should simply honor the origin of love in our lives. If it’s impossible, or too painful for all involved, go make a family out of your friends.
We hang together because we choose to.
