Family is a Mini Model of Society

Stronger Families Lead to Connected Communities

Family is a mini model of society. It is where we all begin, grow, and become. The state of our families greatly influences our individual development and wellbeing emotionally, physically, mentally, and socially. It also has a ripple effect into our communities and society at large. This is why it is critical for us to invest time, energy and other resources into the education and support of our family structures.

The above is a picture that was taken coming out of the pandemic at the first gathering we chose to have to celebrate the children’s confirmation. I still chuckle looking at it, as the evidence of COVID masking is so prominent on my son’s face. He was the last to give up the mask as you can see and wore it with absolute conviction no matter where we were or what we were doing. He was determined to do his part to protect himself and other’s. We respected his choices, which he appreciated very much. He grew to understand that we will support him and that he could openly advocate for what he believes in with us. This has carried out in many other ways since in our home, making it a sanctuary for all of us, being loved and accepted unconditionally.

Over the past decades we have seen huge transitions and definitions of what families are comprised of. We have had evolution in formations, gender roles and types, intergenerational differences, financial fluctuations and more. Our preparedness and capacity to adapt successfully to respond to all these variables has been reflected in the growing number of divorces, parenting issues, and over breakdown of the family structures and values. This is become even more pronounced and highlighted in society with our disconnection, discord and epidemic of loneliness and mental health issues.

This is where we can discover, discuss and explore the day-to-day realities of family life and decipher between what’s working and what is not, so we can make conscious efforts to do things differently when needed. It is imperative that we learn how to change and make healthier adaptations not only for our immediate life experiences, but also for our future generations.