Family Matters- Somarrey Prum

Being able to feel accepted and supported by others shapes the personality of living organisms. A major attribute to these factors is the role of family and how it is a valuable aspect of one’s life. Whether it is the size, type of influence, or the amount of involvement in each other’s lives, everyone comes from a family and that experience allows a person to uniquely identify him or herself and relate to others in this world comfortably. A family is a group of two or more people who are permanently bonded together socially and share between them mutual affection, who are supportive and accepting of one another, and who would sacrifice their lives for each other.

Defining the meaning of a family is important to understand since it is a main feature to one’s personality and background. There is a noticeable difference between a person with a support system rather than without one. Author of Psychology, David Myers, believes that “Our human family shares not only a common biological heritage- cut us as we bleed- but also common behavioral tendencies. Our shared brain architecture predisposes us to sense the world, develop language, and feel hunger through identical mechanisms” (Myers, p. 131). Individual’s who tend to live alone and isolated from their family are not as socially connected with society compared to the people who are more involved in the lives of their family members. Because having a family develops communication skills with others, individual’s who are surrounded by a support system tend to be more comfortable in social settings and have more confidence in voicing out their opinions, while keeping in mind others as well. Whether a family is made of biological relations, marriage, adoptions, or close friends whom have been a part of each other’s lives for a long period of time, they add meaning and motivation for each other to keep pushing through life’s adventures.



Historically, family has been defined as biologically related members within a group or household. However, many people have re-defined the word family to include only individuals who are a part one’s life and have mutual affection toward one another. A family cannot be titled as such if they do not have a solid relationship where they can easily be forgiving to each person’s mistakes and trust the intentions of one another. It is not uncommon that some families have emotionally, physically, or mentally abusive relationships. The main point of having a family is to be unconditionally loving and comforting so a family can only consist of individual’s who share mutual affection and are not hateful to each person’s existence. In the television series Friends, directed by David Crane, six individual’s who are friends becomes a family. Rarely is it seen that their biological family members are involved with their lives. The family of friends shares more experiences as they relate and understand each other so they are more of a family than their biological one.

Today, the word ‘family’ transcends biological relationships and is used to define people within a support system. Family is not only “biological ancestry” (dictionary.com), but it has grown into an extended group of people who stay together and uniquely contribute selflessly as they aid each other. According to Erick Lawson, author of the “Meaning of Family”, “To me the word family can be broken down into three layers, the immediate, extended and inclusive family. These three layers are integral in teaching us to be responsible, accountable and nurturing while shaping our growth as men or women.” Family includes anyone who plays an important role in one’s life, acting as a network of support under any circumstances. If a family has no familiarity, mutual desire to help one another, no meaningful relationship, or likability toward each other, the individual’s in it are more like strangers than labeled anything else. A family has to be closely related but they do not need to be in constant contact though they know the support is there when they need and are ready to give it in return.

A major attribute to having a family is their willingness to accept their loved ones for who they are. Each person wants to feel the security of someone else’s recognition of him or her. To be able to go on with their day and realize that there are people who are going to support the decisions they make as well as criticize their choices for their own good is what makes a family. These actions are a part of bonding which is the base of a family. Developing these family ties whether it is a natural genetic process, a social connection, or any influential make-up such as the military is what enables a family to piece together. “The inclusive family which I speak of can take the form of friends, church members, local community members and your squadron. The military prides itself in always filling the void which is left by our immediate or extended family whether in a time of crisis, despair or just in everyday interaction,” (Lawson, p. 1). This is an example that even biologically related families may not be considered a huge aspect of one’s life so the individual will seek to find another that will help re-build a positive support group that will acknowledge him or her. Being able to notice and help one another during times of need is what makes a family unit, without that there is no meaning to it.

Humans favor the feeling of comfort, enjoying familiarity and ease within their personal preferences of others they decide to surround themselves with. William C. Duncan claims that “The family exists to deliver certain goods, if the relationship delivers the goods, it is a family.” There is a feeling of loneliness when a person is not around loved ones or feels left out of a group. Without a family, the feeling is uncomfortable which makes some beings less confident in themselves. A family helps replenish the soul and healthily give light to one’s life. Humans are social creatures and without establishing close relationships with others, it is hard to get out of insecure stages and shyness that keeps them away from others. The size of a family does not matter but the amount of impact it has on a person does.



As visual beings, people learn from each other’s actions, motives, and opinions. With family, there are also dramatic problems and issues that arise. Family will not always get along, though the problems they go through helps people learn to deal and respond to other dilemma’s that may come up in their individual lives. Author of the “Family Meal” says, “The family lingers, caught up in an idea or an argument explored in a shared safe place where no one is stupid or shy or ashamed, you get the glimpse of the power of this habit and why social scientists say such communication acts as a vaccine, protecting kids from all manner of harm,” (Gibbs, p. 1). Being able to argue will affect how a person is able to deal with conflicts they come across with people in society. The fact that a family will argue and soon make up will allow people to notice that it is a natural process and the basis of relationships with others. Never will people constantly be on good terms since they will have conflicting opinions.

Humans are also emotional toward love and in return want care for one another, which is impactful. A family emphasizes on this importance. Everyone shows their affection dissimilarly and of course, there is no accomplished perfection in the way one reaches out to another, though over time, the deeper meaning of a family is foreseen through loving actions. Whether it is to merely think of one another, noticeably give support, or to directly show the caring side one feels toward another is the loving nature of a family. Not surprisingly, love is an important portion of what makes this definition wholesome. It is a common interest and relation people use to label their friends, foe, or family. With the lack of love, a person may feel discontent throughout their daily lives and feel depressed when carrying out the tasks they need to do. “The United States Supreme Court has noted that in the traditional view, the family has been ‘typified by the marital family, but also includes the household of unmarried parents and their children,” (Duncan, p1). There is no way of measuring love, it fills a household or even nourishes from afar, though being able to view love and the way people perceive it also plays an important role.

There are selfish individuals out in the world; it is normal, but what makes a family unique is their self-less ways of giving and caring for their members. True family members will die for one another without hesitation. Because they are selflessly willing to give all that they can for each other, it is a priority to make sure that the people whom are cared for are safe. Welcoming one another and giving out their attention are small yet meaningful considerations but the main quality a family holds is their ability to let go of their materialistic possessions and step out of their lives for moments to understand another being. To realize that small acts of kindness make a big impact on a person is imperative. Taking in a family member when they need shelter, giving support morally, financially, or emotionally without wanting anything in return is self-less. To appreciate someone and consistently remain in the lives of one another leads to a stable family, they will fall to the end of time together as an entity.

Overall, a family is a support group whether they are related biologically, or socially stumbled upon. What makes a family different from others is the value of respect that is given, the commitment everyone has to support, love, and learn from one another. It can be of any size, large or small amounts of people or pets, as long as at the end of the day, they have relationships that help enable them to be the character they are presently. Family defines the personality of a person, whether that is positive or negatively influential because people grow accustomed to the environment they have experience with. Realizing the value of one’s family will help one learn more about his or her characteristics. They will be willing to let go of their lives for the sake of each other because of how much impact they have made in the lives of one another. Even with problems or being content within a family, the people will always care for each other.


Works Cited:

Crane, David, Kevin Bright, and Marta Kauffman. Friends. Hollywood, California: Warner Bros. Production, 1996. 72. Television.

Duncan, William C. “Don’t Ever Take the Fence Down: The Functional Definition of Family-Displacing Marriage in Family Law.” Heinonline. 2001. Web: http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPagecollection=journals&handle=hein.journals/jlfst3&div=8&id=&page=

“Family.” Dictionary.com. Web. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/family

Gibbs, Nancy. “The Importance of a Family Meal.” Time Magazine. June 2006. 1-4. Web.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1200760,00.html

Lawson, Erick Lt. “Meaning of Family.” Goodfellow Airforce Base. 2009. 1. Web.
http://www.goodfellow.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123158075

Myers, David G. Psychology. 9th ed. New York: Worth Publishers, 2009. pp.131. Print.

Image Citations:

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http://www.crazy-downloads.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/friends-season.jpg

http://cyberbargins.net/family-guy1.jpg