What family really is.

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Families are always very complicated. There are always cousins you didn't know about; relatives with multiple divorces and even secret biological fathers. Overall, does any of this really matter? Unless you're extremely interested in your family tree then I'm guessing not. No one really cares that your Nan's Great-Aunt Edna had an affair, leaving you with some random long-lost relatives somewhere on the other side of the world. It might be good to laugh about or even pretty cool when you discover one of these relatives online but would it matter if we didn't find out? The reason I ask this, is that my family has always been full of secrets in some way or another. There are people that fall out with their parents and siblings and then start creating a whole new family somewhere else. Once I found out about these things, it was interesting and strange but after that, I didn't wonder how many cousins I didn't know etc. I just left it at that really. Then there's the divorces and the fathers that no longer see their children, creating that 'where did I come from?" sense of mystery. I fall into that category to some extent. My 'father' left when I was very young and I remember nothing of him; I didn't ever hear from him again or see any financial support. However, I really couldn't care less. I have a dad. My mum got with him when I was about years old and he's been my dad ever since, fathering my sisters; raising me and being there when I need him. That's what a dad does. That's all I need. I don't care that some random man out there helped create me because let's be honest, it doesn't take much. What does take effort however, is raising and looking after a child, which is what my REAL dad did. My dad is not biologically related to me and my mum's dad, my grandad is not biologically related to her but they are real family members that have done everything they can over the years to raise their children. This is what a family does and this is what a family really is. Biology has nothing to do with it as far as I'm concerned. If someone is adopted and raised from almost birth by two parents, they are their true family. Someone may express interest to know where they come from and sometimes, they may feel they need that relationship with their biological family but that isn't me. Family is what you make it and to me, that is just simply the people that I love. I've had friends that are like sisters and no one can tell me that it's not real. Family are the people that love you, not the people that make you.