Our real life Modern Family

I have a huge family.  The hubs has a very small family.  Together we have a very tight knit chosen family.  A chosen family is that group of friends so dear to you that you really think of them more as family than friends.  They're those people who you call first when there's good news to share, consult for advice, and build your lives around.

I used to think that we were odd in the way we valued our chosen families. I thought we were people to be pitied because we weren't as close to our siblings as we were our friends.  What I know now is that we're the norm.  Today's modern families are enriched by a variety of loved ones, some biological and some not.

We hear so much about the breakdown of the traditional family.  We've been bombarded in the last election by people pointing fingers at who they think is to blame for the loss of the traditional American family.   Blame is often placed on women working outside the home, the acceptance of marriage equality, and the ease of divorce.  But how great is the traditional family anyway?

I know there are people who really did grow up like the Cleavers and if you're currently in a family that resembles it in a healthy fashion, I'm thrilled for you.  However, you're the exception to the rule because most people didn't.  Most of us didn't have the fantasy family life shown on television even if one man and one woman stayed married to each other forever.  It made for great television because it was just that, a fantasy.

This is why I love television like Modern Family, The New Normal, and Suburgatory These shows depict families the way we really are (with obvious exaggerations thrown in of course).  When Tessa and George try to navigate their relationship after Tessa's mother suddenly reappears wanting to be a parent again, many of us can relate.  When Jay and Gloria find out they're pregnant as "mature" adults many of us hold our breath and pray that doesn't happen to us one of these days.  And who doesn't know a bigoted loud mouth like Jane that needs to be quiet yet everyone still has to deal with her?  These shows are over the top, I'll grant you that but it's wonderful to see something that isn't June and Ward.  It's great to see something that actually looks like our modern family.

So we take comfort in our modern, nontraditional families.  We know we're blessed because we have surrounded ourselves with amazing people who love us, challenge us, and are there for us no matter what.