Long ago in primary school,

My teacher taught us there’s nothing like family,

That family is made of people bound together by blood,

But as a growing girl, life has revealed otherwise.

I realized that family isn’t always bound by blood,

But by people who are genuine and trustworthy.

That person you confide in and they don’t out you,

That person that picks up your frantic 3am call.

Family is not defined by mother or father only,

The Bible teaches that even them are capable of abandonment.

Family is defined by those who stay regardless of what they’ve seen.

“Blood is thicker than water” we’ve often said,

In theory that’s true but in experience we know it’s false.

During some dark days, our blood family is nowhere to be found,

In our craziest days, our blood family is the first to judge us.

Think of the girl who is pregnant out of wedlock,

She’s kicked out of her home by her parents.

Or the boy who didn’t come first place in class,

He’s insulted for not being like his classmates.

Or the aunties and uncles who carry quiet envy between themselves,

Or the father who is emotionally cruel and harsh,

Or the mother who only opens her mouth to curse her child.

So what exactly is family?

They’re a group of people who chooses to always stand by your side,

Through thick and thin, through ups and downs.

They’re a group of people who don’t backstab, 

Or talk behind your back,

They’re the ones already there before you ask, “Is someone there?”