Blood Ties

This week in my moments of meditation. I have been been thinking deeply about family. Sometimes because of circumstances we tend to feel closer and relate to people whom we do not share DNA with and we often feel as though those relationships are far more valuable for us. I think it is a way of honoring and loving ourselves by making the choice to be open to those who breathe what we feel is positive or necessary in our lives even if they do not share our blood. I do not discredit this at all and certainly I have found comfort and solace in these types of relationships. When they no longer serve their purpose there is ease in letting them go and acknowledging the need to move on.

Our blood relatives can be very difficult. Especially when we feel forced to live with or deal with them. Sometimes when we want to let go we are so rooted to them it seems almost impossible. As a girl I was forced to live with and "respect" a blood relative who was violating me in the most heinous ways a young girl can be violated. I have witnessed more slander, envy, malice and ill will among some of my blood relatives than I have strangers. So I asked myself. Why on earth should I honor these people?

Then I reminded myself as I must do often that the Divine is in all things. I just had to sit and listen.

My ancestors made decisions and handed the reality of some of those decisions down to me. My blood relatives are a gift. They have taught me more than anyone the power of love and the power of forgiveness. They have forced me to face and embrace compassion. They have taught me how to be there with someone with true empathy through hardships and how to weather the storm. They have shown me my most ugliest self and what is beautiful about me. They always offer me the opportunity to get back up when I have fallen from grace. There is something down right holy in the unspoken understanding that we have.

My family, my blood is a treasure chest of life and love and all of its goodness and truth. Honoring them is not only honoring myself but honoring my ancestors. This is why I must obey and honor the tie of blood and kinship. Even at times when I want to cut it. A wise man once told me that a tree will die if you cut its roots. I have realized that in order to be a beautiful tree full of life, I must find a way to nourish and water the root instead.