Recently I found myself surrounded by extended family for a long weekend. Typically I would leave such a weekend feeling deflated and even a bit beaten down. This time I decided to do my best to detach from the situation so that I could observe the interactions from an objective viewpoint. This was not always possible, as there were times when my own ego was teased out of it's protected shell.
For the most part, I was able to stand back and watch the dynamics unfold as Mothers, Daughters, Fathers, Sons and status members from across the entire family interacted and jockeyed for power and position. It was both sad and fascinating to see. The hopes, expectations and roles everyone had either buffeted against or dutifully climbed into had clearly been established long ago.
So much of who we are is proven to have come from these people we call family and yet in moving in and out of each others lives we carve our own way and become other beings. This can sometimes be overlooked by the other players if the changes are subtle and still in line with their general idea of who you are and where you fit in the family. If, on the other hand, you have truly reinvented yourself by moving so far away from the you or your yesterdays that it questions the overall family dynamic then it is possible you will become an outsider.
As human beings we are driven to gather, to be part of a group, a family. So much so that we may unconsciously climb back into old uncomfortable roles to satisfy the need to remain connected to our family. Still in the equally important drive to reach our full potential it may be time to free ourselves from the constraints of such limiting family ties. Opting instead to create our own families, be they of blood or friendship, so that we may fully express our own light in the world.
For the most part, I was able to stand back and watch the dynamics unfold as Mothers, Daughters, Fathers, Sons and status members from across the entire family interacted and jockeyed for power and position. It was both sad and fascinating to see. The hopes, expectations and roles everyone had either buffeted against or dutifully climbed into had clearly been established long ago.
So much of who we are is proven to have come from these people we call family and yet in moving in and out of each others lives we carve our own way and become other beings. This can sometimes be overlooked by the other players if the changes are subtle and still in line with their general idea of who you are and where you fit in the family. If, on the other hand, you have truly reinvented yourself by moving so far away from the you or your yesterdays that it questions the overall family dynamic then it is possible you will become an outsider.
As human beings we are driven to gather, to be part of a group, a family. So much so that we may unconsciously climb back into old uncomfortable roles to satisfy the need to remain connected to our family. Still in the equally important drive to reach our full potential it may be time to free ourselves from the constraints of such limiting family ties. Opting instead to create our own families, be they of blood or friendship, so that we may fully express our own light in the world.
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