International Day Of The Family: Be Thankful For Your Family
On May 15, the United Nations celebrates the International Day of Families.
Each year, this holiday focuses on a particular topic or theme associated with the magical relationship between family members (as well as close friends).
In 2016 the theme was ‘the importance of supporting a healthy lifestyle and a sustainable future’.
In any case, your family is the social and personal circle in which you raise children and share values, habits and role models.
Promoting a healthy lifestyle and striving for a sustainable and environmentally friendly future is undoubtedly a duty we all have towards future generations and the health of the planet.
In this article, we invite you to get to know and celebrate this special day, International Day of the Family, with us.
International Day of the Family, a bond of the heart
Living together and deciding everything together are not the most important characteristics of a family. What is especially important is that you always remain a unit, regardless of a possible distance.
That you always know that you respect and value each other for who you are, what you have achieved and what defines you.
Forming a family also means ‘knowing how to build real bonds’ and, as we all know, that isn’t always easy.
It is also likely that some people are quite skeptical about this holiday. This may be because these people have been disappointed in the past.
On the occasion of International Family Day, we suggest that you take a moment to reflect on the following themes.
1. Family is not just a matter of blood ties – it is also a gesture of loyalty
You may not get along with some members of your family. However, this should not cause you to lose faith in what the word ‘family’ stands for.
A family is a network of different individuals who together form a unity through affection, love and respect.
It doesn’t matter at all whether or not there is a genetic component. Your family is made up of the people closest to you.
All circumstances are unique and special and your heart indicates who your real family members are. So these can also be good friends. Why not?
2. Big families, small families
Families come in all shapes and sizes that only the members of this family will understand and make happy. These can be extended families with many siblings, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and grandchildren.
Everyone gets along well, and reunions are always fun. There is a support system that ensures that no distance can prevent a family member in need from being helped or comforted.
There are also single-parent families in which a parent alone tries to steer his/her children in the right direction with courage and effort.
3. Families are treasures that should not be taken for granted
It is important to remember that a family is an archipelago made up of several small islands. For example, we all have parents, aunts and uncles and nieces and nephews etc.
In the same way, at some point we form our own family with the partner we choose and the friends who are like siblings to us. Perhaps one day we will bring our own children into the world.
So don’t neglect your family. Visit them, get together for reunions, share your new units with your family. Do the same for your partner’s family or your friends.
These are all positive experiences. They will help you build social bonds and new relationships. These in turn help to create a so-called cognitive reserve.
Being present in the present is important to care for and enjoy your own family.
Put happiness before disagreements, exercise forgiveness, join hands. As the theme for International Family Day was this year, strive to develop healthy habits and promote a sustainable future.
