We are Family 2 – What my Family means to me.

Make your own submission to the Dublin Pride organised website on what does family mean to you? Click here for details.  This is my submission below. Its not up on the website yet – once it is up I will post the link to it here!

Recently returning to live at home after four years away has been an enlightening experience and something I would not change. Well for the moment anyway.

For me, my family is the centre of my universe – my sun, moon and guiding stars. My family gives me the gift of love every single hour of every day – generally unconditionally unless there are chores to be done.

Regardless of chores, I love them.

Without my family, life would be meaningless to me. I would have nobody to discuss the intricities of GAA or why I should not plant a Clematis plant in such a small pot because it will not grow properly. Nor would my understanding of the effects of the seasons be as heightened as it is. As I live on a farm, I can just about make out when a cow is ‘bulling’ or a calf is sick or when a horse has a sore foot or that holly trees only grow berries when there are pairs together. All of these little things make my family life richer and it is richer because of the constant-ness of love.

Family provides stability. It provides the basic building blocks for devotion, loyalty and friendship. It is hardly any wonder then, that the historical family unit is so hotly contested given the wealth of positive attributes which are given to it. That said the composition of family units can and do change. The stability a loving family is what is key. Love is the key to stability and acceptance of love in all its forms is what makes families work.