immediate family

Blood makes you related, loyalty makes you family.

Childhood Memories of Easter
Both Christmas and Easter have an equally important story to celebrate. However when we compare the gift and spending aspects of the two festivities, we generally perceive Easter as being the lesser celebration.
By Rebecca Sharrock8 years ago in Families
Childhood's Worst Nightmare
Thinking back to when I was young, my childhood wasn't the greatest. It was more like Hell, but on Earth. I was young and fragile, I wasn't supposed to see the things that I've seen, not at a very young age. They say your parents are supposed to be your protectors but not mine... they were cruel. What do I mean by when I say cruel? Angry, abusive, alcohol addicts cruel. Most of the time they drank until they passed out and when they were out of alcohol my dad would take it out on me! They didn't have a care in the world when it came to me. I felt alone, scared, rejected, and used. I did all that I could to get love from them and all I got was nothing but hate, from my dad especially.
By Emma Shelley8 years ago in Families
Growth: In & Out
Is a four-year difference in age too big of a gap for some? Perhaps. Let's say in a perfect world that this is the absolute ideal age gap for all pairs of people: couples, parents, friends, colleagues, and even siblings. Eventually, something would break. The paradigm would shift and no one would be challenged, no one would be uncomfortable, and no one would grow. This is what has been on my mind lately.
By V O I C E | Omniverse8 years ago in Families
From Having Nothing to Loving Photography
I was born in Newcastle, UK. I never had the best upbringing in life. I know a lot of people who had a worse upbringing than myself but this is my story.
By Lindsey.8 years ago in Families
The Family That Preys
The Family That Preys As a young girl, she was constantly picked on and bullied by her older siblings because they felt as though she was spoiled and got whatever she wanted. Even though whatever she had gotten she would split to make things even. None of them knew what she went through or why she was "spoiled" growing up but it was a way for her parents to heal her childhood pain from an entirely different situation. However, the bullying got worse, her brothers went from merely nitpicking to full blown fights that later landed her to getting choked out. The life her older brothers wanted to lead was that of street thugs and they would get kicked out of school every year while she used school as a getaway from her everyday life at home. By the age of 20, she owned her own car with no payments and soon everyone wanted to be friendly. Being very naive, she took that as her opportunity to gain love that she had always desired and they jumped at the fact that she had a car. Which resulted in them using her to get around wherever they wanted to go. All of which was never for productivity in their lives. Now as a successful 25-year-old, she is the only sibling in the near area who is excelling in life. Mostly because she has spoiled them into believing that they must have a ride to get anywhere. So finally after five years she is done, and beyond tired of helping those who haven't helped themselves. To look at where their lives were then and now is mind blowing because they haven't gained anything but hatred towards her, because she's tired of trying to build anyone up because it's tearing her down. In her short five years she's gained her own everything and doesn't want for anything from anyone. Her family sees it as all the more reason to help where they're lacking. They want to see her fail at all costs, the crazy thing is that they never call unless it's for their benefit. The fact of the matter is she's not selfish, she's just not going to help anyone thats not trying to make their situation better. When her car broke down they didn't have two words to say. When she stops helping they scream, "You never did anything for me." The only person that has been around to help her was her mother who she has to take care of when her health becomes a problem. Since she's moved the word "No" to the front of her vocabulary she's had less stress. She can finally plan those trips, be a better parent and live happier!
By Nova .8 years ago in Families
Two Sides of the Same Coin
Prologue Any psychologist or sociologist will explain a "normal" family unit as being a mother and father with two children, preferably a boy and a girl, who coexist peacefully together in a house with, maybe, a family pet. However, "normal" in our society no longer exists. There is now the idea of step-family, mothers and fathers getting re-married to people who may also have children from a past marriage. This sprouts new family, bigger, wider variety of family that joins the unit to create a complicated web of a family. "Normal" was wiped out when it came to the family unit.
By Jade Varley8 years ago in Families
Broken Promises
The foreign lady grabbed me and my sister and pulled us away from Mommy. I didn’t want to leave. I looked at her sad and confused as she promised, “I’ll get you back.” I am 2.
By Aurea Gonzalez8 years ago in Families
Seven for What Used to Be Ten
He stood at the entrance of the massive roll up doors, telling my mother that there were seven items on the list and only seven. We had already flustered his feathers by letting me tag along, then my mom, then we had to go to lunch; after all, driving thirty minutes to Costco was an outing, not a chore. The drive itself stretched along like a map. The land outside exposing flat fields of uneven corn or orchards. You only turned twice the entire way; besides that it was finding ways to entertain yourself for the half hour as the drive continued on loop.
By Helen Brower8 years ago in Families
Red Balloon
Life sucks, then you die. It’s a weird motto I live by. Every single day life gives you an obstacle, whether big or small. Maybe your car broke down and now you’re late for work. Or maybe you got to work early for once just to find out you were fired. Sucks, wouldn’t it? But now here’s the thing: a million things can go wrong today, but you always still have tomorrow. You see? No matter what could go wrong, as long as you’re still living, you keep trooping it day after day till you die, basically. But what happens when you feel like you can’t keep going? When you feel like you’re giving your all but it’s never enough? Life has a funny way of just giving you a big “F U!” most of the time when you least expect it.
By Nicky .8 years ago in Families
Into the Lion's Den
If you forget to water a flower, it'll surely die. If you run over a flower garden, it'll fight to survive. With people it's the same concept. When I was in my mid-twenties I met a boy who was three years my junior. For whatever reason, I fell madly in love and that blinded me so badly that I led him ruin me. He stole everything I knew right before my eyes and I never did a thing to stop it. He was the love of my life, or so I had thought. He was the true love I had dedicated my life to trying to find. But he was the most toxic person I had ever met. He was draining the life from me and I never even realized it. For three years I fought for a little boy that didn't even want a future with me. Not even after I had our daughter. He was constantly in and out of our lives and when I had finally bent over backwards to keep him happy I got kicked while I was down.
By Miranda Floyd8 years ago in Families
Thoughts on the Death of Billy Graham
So Billy Graham died. What an impact this man has had on my life. But not in the sense most would think. LOVE, is not what came to my mind when I read of Billy Graham's passing. My mind was filled with sadness, longing, and loneliness. A feeling of being totally and utterly alone...and so empty. I have often wondered if that is how I feel when thinking of Billy Graham, how did his own children feel about a father virtually absent from their lives? Were the sacrifices truly worth it? I just don't know. I have learned long ago not to believe the public pictures.
By Esther Renee Large8 years ago in Families
My Senior Year from Hell
Senior year, the best year of your life... or so they say. The year started like everyone else's, walking in the doors of my high school for the last time, saying "hi" to my friends that were gone all summer and of course, chirping our favorite teachers.
By Paytan Addley8 years ago in Families