Family Bonds

The new and long awaited PlayStation 4 is being released today and there are people lined up around the block waiting to get theirs. If I had the funds for such a purchase I would be in line with them, but alas I am broke. In time I too will have one. But as of right now I will just have to wait. That is ok. I have learned to have patience over the years and I should be able to hang on for a few months until I have the ability to spend the money on one.

That is not however the reason for this posting. The subject of this article is family. Why the PS4 introduction? Because I come from a family of gamers. I started out with computers back when I was 12 and ever since then I have had an interest in gaming and so did my entire family. I remember by mother playing Crystalis on the SNES along with a variety of Final Fantasy games also. My father loved to be able to have the newest systems when they came out. So even though most people had no idea what it was, we had a Turbo Grafix 16 on it's release day. To be honest, we have owned every single system that was released stateside from 1980 on.

That was a great family for someone like me to grow up in. I remember those things and I probably will for the rest of my days. My parents always did what they could to make me and my siblings happy. My mother especially would go without just so one of us could have what we wanted. Were we spoiled? Not really. She just wanted to do what she could to make us as happy as possible. Don't misunderstand me though and get the impression that she tried to buy our love. NO, there was plenty of love to go around. Plenty of hugs. Help with homework, and hours spent talking about thing. I especially had a close relationship with my mother considering I was the first born. But she spent time with everyone equally.

We have always considered family one of the most important things in life and have passed that on to our children as well. I always remember my mother and father telling my brother and sister and I that we must make sure we all get along, because when they are gone we are all that we will have left. At the time what she said made sense and I knew that she was right. But I never thought that it would be made so blatantly clear to me as it has been lately.

Growing up I always spent time with cousins and my Aunts and Uncles. I enjoyed their company and I actually thought that my relationship with a couple of them was pretty tight. Of course, just like any family we have a couple people who are just different. People who stay away from us as a group. But still, they are family no matter what. I always thought that the rest of the family would feel the same way that I did. I should have no reason to think otherwise.

I always hear or read stories about family members who betray each other. Families that cheat others out of money or property because they are greedy. When I hear about these things I cannot for the life of me understand why people would do things like this to family. I mean, money and possessions are things. They come and they go. They will not be around to help you or to give you a shoulder to cry on, but family will. When people betray family for money it is really sad. To think that someone out there values money more than a family member is just wrong.

Unfortunately it happens all the time. Our society is full of people who things like that. Just like in my own family. When my mother died it seemed like we were finally all alone. All that was left was my brother, my sister, and myself. The rest of my family (aunts, uncles, cousins) all disappeared. As if we never existed. Going to weddings and gloating about how much fun they are having. "A family night out on the town". Funny how just a few months go by and all of a sudden you are forgotten.

Families need to stick together. You never know when you might need them. Not only that, but you do not know when they need you. It is the family bond that is stronger than all others. It is the family bond that can withstand anything. When you stand behind family you can do anything. When your family stands behind you, you are never alone, no matter where you are. Do what you can to keep your family intact. Above all else, it is the most important thing that you can do.