What is Family?
This is a concept I have thought a lot about in the past couple of days.
In the beginning, your true family is who you are born with. Your parents and siblings you fight and bicker, but ultimately, they are the closest people to you.
Then you get to school and start to make friends, but they are as close to you as your family. But it is nice to have someone to talk to about Star Wars legos and why Anakin is the best Jedi. Then you get invited to a sleepover and watch a movie that maybe you weren’t supposed to watch and talk about girls, but ultimately, you always go back to your family.
Then you get to high school, and your friends become everything. You are with them more than your family. It isn’t necessarily cool to “like” your family anymore. The moment you leave school, you go to your friend’s house and ignore the text from your mom that says, “When will you be home?”
But when your friendships fall apart, your family is always there to catch you. They are the only people who are consistently there for you.
I think a family can form in two ways. Blood relations and/or people forced into discomfort together whether they know each other or not.
This was all very long and didn’t make a lot of sense. The point I am making is I would consider the people around me family, and we didn’t know each other 14 days ago. Pressure produces diamonds, and I think that is very true here. We were all a bunch of toddlers thrown into the deep end, and we had to teach each other how to swim. We have truly lived life exclusively with each other in a very new situation for everyone. I believe situations like these produce bonds between people unlike any other. We skipped the cheap title of “friend” and went straight to family.
Also, here is me bald.
-Drew McKinney
Thankful you’re becoming family with your squad. Love you so much!
Drew, I was glad to have a QR code to check in and read your blog. I think you look great bald! Sounds like you have established good friendships out there. I know that is God’s grace and protection over you!!
So glad you are bonding with your new family! Your family here misses you! Nana
I love everything you said about family, Drew! Yours misses you a ton!!!
Enjoyed your thoughts. Thankful your team is bonding, becoming friends/family and forming true community which will mean so much when you head overseas. Drew, you are missed. We actually had supper leftovers from our game time supper. Love you and praying for you and your team.
“Aunt Baba the Great” misses u, and am enjoying reading ur blog! 🙂
What a special family this will be! Big hugs to you!
Aunt Bonnie
I love your honesty and how you write, Drew! These posts are entertaining, poignant, thoughtful, and honest. Thanks for giving us a glimpse into what it’s like to be you right now. I am so proud of you!! (cue the tears)