Dear Friend,
Sometimes, even when you do what you love, something is missing.
As humans, we are, by nature, social creatures. Yes, some of us may be perfectly at peace living alone in a mountain cabin. However, most people need human companionship to feel fulfilled.
The people we hold close to us, I call our “family.” These may be friends, distant cousins, or a traditional, nuclear family, it matters not to me. Whomever you feel good being around on a regular basis, that is your family in my eyes.
Sometimes, the folks that we hang out with are not those who make us feel good. We feel forced together by the accident of birth or otherwise.
My oldest son complains often about having to hang out with his younger siblings. My younger son can’t stand my youngest, who effectively dethroned him as the baby of the family. No matter what, in his eyes, our youngest can do no right.
I think that this difference in definition of the word “family” has a significant impact on the way most folks initially react to the concept of Families Without Limits.
Yes, most of my writing does assume that a family is of the traditional, nuclear sort. Nevertheless, the core of what I write is not meant to preserve any particular family structure. I am not on a mission to protect the sanctity of the nuclear family, although if I help to save some of these, I will be happy.
My mission is to encourage individuals to pursue their dreams regardless of the nature and status of their family relations. Sometimes, that actually means that I encourage individuals to pursue dreams in spite of their traditional family’s influences.
My goal is simple. First and foremost, I want to help people to find personal peace and happiness. I want to help them to understand that they can achieve this by taking steps in the right direction, no matter what their situation in life currently is. And I do not shy away from encouraging people to change the makeup of those around them that I call “family” if those others truly represent obstacles to personal happiness.
Here’s to families – those built around the healthy happiness of all of their members.
Talk to you soon,
Hugh
