Article # 15 – Family
One of our favorite areas to invest time in is in young people. We had just such an opportunity this past month. A young woman was on the doorstep of beginning her real adult life. She is stepping out from under the good covering of her mother and father. She comes from good stock of a loving father, nurturing mother, and supportive, emotionally healthy siblings. Through conversations it was clear she was about to cross the threshold to a new life. She was helplessly, hopelessly in love with a man who recently asked her father for her hand in marriage. She could not stop smiling, bringing a warm glow to her rosy cheeks.
There is a long tradition of women separating from their FAMILY which raised them to become individuated, more complete, people. In many cases this separation season gives way to new FAMILY. A new life mate and perhaps their own children as well may repeat the past pattern of traditional FAMILY.
When we talked about the “community” she has surrounding her she became teary eyed. “I have this small group of ladies surrounding me. They know me well and love me even with my shortcomings. We meet consistently to just hang out and be together. Doing coffee or brunch, sitting and watching a movie, going to a park for a walk or a run – it all becomes our rhythm. We send and receive life together in important moments. They have walked me through this next season of becoming a new woman as a wife.”
She had prayed for and cultivated this small group of ladies over her young adult years to live life together. Our guess is these relationships will last for a long time into the future. She started by investing in her community which then invested back into her. It just works that way. At her young age she already has a treasure. She had created FAMILY because she critically wanted and needed one. Regardless of where we come from, we all need to create our own FAMILY. The photo below is of a plaque that was a gift from a person in our community. They are friends who are not related but none the less have become FAMILY to us.
As we encourage you to create your own Soul Roadmap this rest area of creating your own FAMILY becomes a lifelong treasure. It is worth the time investment to cultivate this important part of your Soul Roadmap. As you invest it also provides a solid return on investment. Who should you start investing in to become your chosen FAMILY?
