Day 23: Family First...

Family- the word alone just conjures up a range of mixed emotions for different people. No matter what it is, we all have, have had or will be a part of or have a family of some sort at all phases in our lives...

Today however, keeping with the theme of positivity and the beautiful Desmond Tutu quote above, I'm focusing on the awesome and most amazing side of having family. Of the bonds and the love, of the support and nurturing, of the care and concern; and most of all the fun and amazingness of what family is and can be. I love this definition of the word family that I recently came across - all in line with our positivity theme!

Growing up I didn't realise what a unique and special environment I was a part of - I was a part of a massive extended traditional Indian Gujerati family that consisted of a minimum of 14 people that lived at home for the duration of my childhood sometimes going into the twentys at some periods of times! There were parents and grandparents, siblings and of course cousins and aunts and uncles around the corner within the city of East London that I grew up in, and then even more family scattered around the country in Johannesburg, Durban and Grahamstown amongst others. This meant that almost every holiday, or at least the longer summer and winter holidays always saw us kids ferried to different family members homes.. Memories of the Grahamstown Festival of days gone by or trips to Fourways Mall in JHB to play mini golf or eat mangoes and watch The Sound of Music on repeat in Durban were common elements of these times. Topped off with massive Diwali celebrations and year-end Christmas shows and fun were also always part of the plan!

It was only when I moved to an ex-model C school that I realised this unique family setting. It became increasingly challenging to explain my family set up to classmates let alone teachers and others who were more familiar with a Western background. The looks of incredulousness on people's faces when I spoke about family get togethers, weddings, engagements and other celebrations was pretty priceless!!! It was only when a friend confided in me just how much she envied my family setup that I started to realise how blessed I was and am.

I am one of 18 girls cousins and 7 boy cousins, and as mentioned in yesterday's post with 14 weddings down, we have grown by many additions in the form of spouses and their offspring! (Read Day 21 + 22: Spread the love if you missed it...). So any family get together or celebration is a mass load of people with different personalities, characters and the like.. Of course no family is perfect - we have our arguments and fights and periods of time of minimal interation, but one thing that is constant, is LOVE! Despite challenges that have abound, I feel truly grateful to be a part of a family that truly sticks together especially in tough times. We really experienced this earlier this year when my mom who is relatively healthy and only 63 years old with no chronic health conditions, suffered a severe stroke. It really hit the whole family both far and near with such shock, but our immediate family have been so humbled and just beyond grateful at the level of love, support, care and concern amongst other things that have been shown and showered onto us.

The same was done at my brother's wedding 2 days ago. It made me realise again just how truly blessed I feel to have this constant, this reminder that blood truly is thicker than water.

So today, and for this Festive Season ahead, I urge you to take some quiet time and just reflect on your own life and state of family. Some are blessed to have family in the form of friends and non-blood related members in their life - whatever and whoever you consider your family to be, take some time to just pay gratitude and gift thanks for their presence and existence in your life. And if things are not so rosey at present, look at whether there is an opportunity to make amends. Remember that life is short and you may never have that tomorrow to say those things that needed to be said.

Take care and be safe everyone. Till tomorrow...

Much love always, Poonam

Mon 20 December 2021, 21:12, EL, SA