Thanksgiving 2012

Today Facebook is covered in status of people being grateful for their families. My grandfather died two days ago and I can’t help but think about my family and what family means to me.

Family (dictionary.com): a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not: the traditional family.

b.

a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for: a single-parent family.

2.

the children of one person or one couple collectively: We want a large family.

3.

the spouse and children of one person: We're taking the family on vacation next week.

4.

any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins: to marry into a socially prominent family.

5.

all those persons considered as descendants of a common progenitor.

The thing is none of these definitions work for me. Three years ago, two days after Thanksgiving my dad and my step-mom kicked me out of my family because of my sexuality. The rest of my family followed their lead and I have spent the past two years creating a new family.

My definition of family is a little different than the one put forth by dictionary.com

Family: A group of people closely related by love

This year I am thankful for the people who have come into my life and for all of the experiences I have had both the good and the bad.  This year I am thankful for nonconventional families.

This year I am thankful for my nontraditional family. Geoff, Sara, Doug, Maria, Dale, and LouLou thanks for accepting me unconditionally and for being the best family I could possibly ask for.