Question Of The Day

Is your family as close as you would want it to be?

“It takes a village to raise a child.” Every time I think about that quote, I have this image in my mind of entire families working together, making sacrifices, doing whatever it takes in order to pass on a better life to the next generation. But I know for some, not all, that this image I have in my mind is more of a fantasy. Though there are families who live up to my images, there are way too many families where sisters and brothers don’t even communicate. There is no connection between mothers and fathers and their children. Cousins live within miles of each other, but choose not to be a part of each other lives. Family members hating on each other instead of uplifting each other; and this just baffles me. In order to eradicate the problems that plague our communities, the Black family has to be ready to put their petty differences aside and must realize that there is power in unity, and with unity, we can create a force that can bring about change.

When I reflect back on my own family, my mother’s side of the family in particular, I always felt that there was this disconnection. My mother’s family roots are planted in Mississippi. My grandparents had 13 children, but 2 are now deceased. I have so many first cousins that I haven’t even met all of them yet. But what I have always noticed in my mother’s side of family is this lack of closeness between siblings. There are obvious cliques within the family and this reminder of exclusion. I am a problem solver, and I have yet to figure out what the problem is with my mother’s side of the family. I think well, maybe if my grandmother, who has to know about this disconnection among her children, would speak out and encourage them to communicate and love each other more. If my aunts and uncles encourage their children to have meaningful relationships with their cousins; then maybe, just maybe, that can be the start of us having that kind of family that can help bring about change; that family that can pass on a better life to the next generation. I am hopeful. I just know that something has to happen and things can’t continue on with the way they are. I am working on it…