Defining your Family unit

I decided to check Websters definition of what a family unit is. There were various definitions. The summary of it all was, family is the unit of persons one affiliates with to find purpose, meaning and rest - regardless if they are blood relatives or not.

I've noticed that people with traditional family units (father and mother under one household with siblings) sometimes can get judgmental, and attempt to diminish any other definition of a family that is less than traditional. That reveals how ignorant and shallow minded they are.

Jesus had a family of 12 men; Apostle Paul may have been married at some point (bachelor pharisees of a certain age weren't kosher), but his family was his spiritual son Timothy, and his co-laborers in the ministry. We don't see family traditionalists exalting their familial achievements over that of Jesus or Paul. We don't see them saying Jesus must have lived an empty life because he didn't have a wife and kids, or Paul wasted away because he didn't have any children to carry on his lineage. That would appear to be selectivity in their practice of bigotry.

My encouragement to people who are in situations where you don't have the traditional family unit setting: 

1. Find your tribe to call your family. People who fulfill you, and add meaning and joy to your being. If Jesus and Paul could choose and define what their family was, you have every right and freedom to create what you call your family, and your own! 

2. Come to terms with the template that works for you. Long distance may not work for someone else; that doesn't automatically mean it won't work for you. Open your mind to the opportunities and possibilities available to you.

3. Do not allow anyone attempt to suggest you are less for not subscribing to a traditional family unit setting. A significant other or biological offspring does not equate to a reciprocal love relationship from them to you.

4. When anyone attempts to belittle your created family unit setting, politely inform them they are being rude, discriminatory, hypocritical bigots, and you don't appreciate their passive aggressive attempts at being bullies. Speak up and define clear boundaries in cherishing, honoring, valuing and respecting your chosen and created family, just like traditionalists would.