Family

Today I went with a few of my friends to go see the film August: Osage County, about a family that comes together in the wake of a tragedy, however when they all get together, they don't seem to find strength in their proximity, but instead it causes things to get really complex, and even somewhat tragic. Now, it was a very good film, very well done, however by the end of it, all I could think about was how much I truly appreciated my family. Even in comparison to the trials and tribulations that my friends conveyed that they have gone through with their own family, my issues within mine seemed almost trivial. It really made me care for my family that much more, flaws and all.

I am always appreciative of anything in life that can make me more appreciative of the good things that I have in my life. It's really easy for me to sometimes just sit around and just spend large quantities of time feeling bad about myself, allowing my neuroses get the best of me and just put me in a bad place. I can easily forget that right on the other end of the telephone is always someone who can talk me through whatever I am going through. Whether I choose to let them or not is another matter altogether, but there is always someone there.

Even if you don't feel that your biological family is the type of "family" that you can depend on, I truly hope that everyone is able to form some sort of family unit, something beyond mere friendships, that you will always have regardless of where life takes you. We all need that, at least once in a while.

Family is the people who you can turn to when you have even turned away from yourself. They are the people who can set you right-side up when you can't even tell from upside down. They are the strength in your shadow and the light behind your eyes. And if you are lucky enough to have a group of people like that, be thankful for your blessing. I know I sure am.


Trailer for the film August:Osage County. A truly good film, contrary to what ratings I have seen it given in some websites. Meryl Streep is phenomenal, as we can only expect from her. And a trip through the complex family dynamics at play in this film are truly a ride to be taken.

(phoo above: family photo with my extended family. We took a seriously posed one, and then this "silly" one. The silly one has always been my favorite.)