The New World Family

”The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.”

-Illusions-The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah

Richard Bach

 

I am grateful to have a family that I love and one that supports me fully. However, I am also grateful for my family of “soul connection” – my family-- not of blood. This family consists of amazing friends and colleagues—worldwide.

Looking back through the many years past, I now realize that I was very fortunate to have been brought up in a close Irish family. We were often reminded of how important ones direct bloodline clan was to the Irish American Community that I as raised in. The familiarity provided a sense of security in a new –unfamiliar land.

I remember trips to Ireland when my parents would return to the states having proudly purchased our family shields. For as long back as I can remember the family shields for both my mother and father hung in the hallway for all to see as they entered our home. The shields, through pictures and written Gaelic, told you where our family was from and something about our craft or trade and family history.

I was fortunate to grow up under a roof where both joy and respect were encouraged but am well aware that many have had great challenges living in their family of birth. Today we are fortunate to have a greatly expanded view of family available to us. We have choices. We can now experience the gifts of diverse cultures living together in community. We are also fortunate to experience the interconnectedness of the world as we realize that the interests and convictions that we, share as well as the personal-societal and geographic preferences that we hold all factor into our newly defined world family.

There is a new world family forming….

How do you perceive or define your family presently.

Can you expand your family to include new possibilities?

Do you share respect and joy with you family?

What is now possible for you when you think of –The New World Family?

Maureen Simon