My Family.



Posted: Friday, October 21, 2011

by Casey Starkweather

Family is a complex term for me. It is not something that is simple or clear cut. Family to me is not just my biological family. But I guess it is best to start with that half of my family.

I am the youngest of five. Three girls and my brother. Three of my four older siblings are from previous marriages. One of them I have only met once.  One of them is only elevenish months older than me. One is eleven years older.  Two have children, one just got married, and the other one is hoping to get married. Yes, I am the youngest of five.

My parents met about 25 years ago.  They love each other but sometimes they don't act like it. They got married when I was one, for reasons I won't mention. My mum is smart and artistic, she loves to draw. My dad was funny, he used to be a clown. Right now, he is in the hospital, has been for three weeks. We are not sure if he will actually make it.   My family is very dysfunctional and sides often clash. We are the definition of a blended family and that means it's often crazy, but that's who they are.

That's only part of my family. The part that most people mean when they ask about my family. Most people don't count my family of friends and my work family.  Sometimes those two are the same.

I spent about eight months away from home, at school. I have a family there, a group of people who accept me for who I am and who love me. A group of people who support me and who guide me. There are the adults, of course.  Those in their thirties and forties (or fifties and sixties) who have had a serious impact on my life in the last three years.  There are also those who are my own age.

I have a brother at school. He's not much older than me but he acts like an older brought. We act like siblings, we fight like siblings, we love each other like siblings. He's allowed to tease me, but if someone is trying to be mean or rude or hateful, then he defends me. He respects my wishes and knows that I don't like to drink or smoke. He understands and he doesn't try to pressure me. He knows how to cheer me up when I am sad, and I have been sad for the last three weeks, and how to calm me down when I am angry.  He is the only one who I am that close to, but I have others who are part of my family.  There are girls who know me well. Who know when I am hurting and when I am happy. There are guys who would defend me and who would protect me. There are those who will always comfort me and hug me.

That's my family. Both parts of my family. And they both mean the world to me. Some of them raised me and some of them saved me from my self. Some of them have made my life  what it is today. And i would never change my family. We may not always me functional but they are my family.
Casey is an 22 year old college graduate, majoring in History, Minoring in German. She plans to go to Law School, or if that fails, to get her Ph.D. She writes articles based on personal experience, in the hopes that someone will learn from her mistakes and with the hope that she can change someone elses life.

My Family.
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