Life's most precious treasure is ...

Life’s most precious treasure is the family ... A noted writer once stated, “life without a family is a life without.”

As we approach the holiday season, it is always nice to reflect on life’s greatest treasure. Today, we identify the family in a variety of ways. There is the traditional nuclear family with a mother, father and the children. There is the single mom or dad with children family; there is the single-member family; then there are a variety of extended families, ranging from parents to children and an assortment of relatives.

There are the created families, through friends, jobs, organizations, churches and even sports and academics families. All over the world we have expanded on this wonderful idea of family. We need families. Students, senior citizens and orphans especially need loving families.

Regardless of how one defines family, the purpose of all families remains the same: A basic unit in our society where we learn to grow, learn, trust, respect, appreciate and support each other. It is where children learn the fundamentals of life.

It is also where education, religion and social awareness begin in our society. It is the family unit that fosters a sense of being, purpose and reality. We celebrate those families that provide the positive role modeling for our children and society.

We know many families are in crisis. The natural divorce rate is one out of every two marriages ends in divorce. Common law marriages often end much quicker without realistic goals and support. Families are in crisis from parental abandonment, crime, imprisonment, drugs, selfishness, sometimes sicknesses, disease, and a host of other vital statistics that show the decline in the family unit and the support. Our children and elderly are often the target of family abuse and neglect.

We see despicable models of families as viewed through our television soap operas, reality shows, and movies where the family unit is under attack and simply ridiculed. Our young people see this display of unrealistic reality and then are often confused, uncertain and immature to distinguish real from imagined.

Hence, we have a host of youth unprepared to begin their own families especially in their teenage years and early 20s. How can the television show Desperate Housewives serve as any role model? This is a ridiculous attempt to display a false sense of family … Family is too valuable to be trivialized by senseless television programs …

Families today, as in years gone by, have always been a source of strength and support. Historically, families have banded together to stem the tide in a variety of ways. Families have been supportive during famine, depression, marriage, childbirths, divorce, death, graduation, illness, poverty, unemployment, and an assortment of occasions.

Families have always been there.

It is the role of family to establish the fundamental values and culture for its members. We need more supportive families, families that will take the time to nurture their children and other members. It is with the quiet and respectful, understanding that always existed in healthy families that has allowed for families to survive and strive.

As we see the steady decline in the family unit, we must continue to repair our families. We must make them the most respected unit in our society. As we begin to continue to love our children, respect each other and care for our elderly, we begin to rebuild the family unit. We must seek and repair our foundation, the family unit. There is power in family.

Many families have overcome tremendous obstacles to become outstanding “beacons of light.” Families that are well disciplined could help create a better community and ultimately a better society.
It is a time for family. Everyone should be with family or friends. As we celebrate the holiday season and the gathering of our families and friends, let us be determined to invest heavily in the family.

After all, it is truly “life’s most precious treasure.”