Is Family Just Blood? Should We Expand Our Definition Of Family?

There are seven billion people on planet Earth. Only a small fraction of these are your family.

But what is family anyway?

Is it the blood that runs in your veins, or the love that you feel in your heart?

We are socialised to consider blood relatives family. That we should stick together and consider them first before anything else.

Because we share experiences especially in childhood, a time when we are attempting to make out of the world, we create bonds that leave lasting impressions with siblings and other close family members.

Adopted kids growing up in one home consider each other family even though they do not share the same genetic makeup. Their bond is love and a common upbringing among others. That is why it is rare for such to develop romantic feelings for each other because they consider each other siblings.

With every human being guaranteed to go through a personal journey of self discovery, trying to find themselves and their role in the world, socializing leads to selection of friends and close friendships become family. These bonds are created because a person finds commonality with the other person. They enjoy each others company and similar activities which they meet up often so that they can enjoy them together.