Source: boredpanda.com
Size? Appearance? Race? Species? Meh.
Family is as family does. When I was a young man, I rented a room from a therapist whose family had rejected him. So he’d learned to create families. He’d match up patients with no “real” family: orphaned, disowned, unable to reconcile, young, old. Not all pairings clicked, of course, and some took a lot of work to get there. But others healed hearts. Many, the therapist told me, would come to him with tears in their eyes, and say, “They love me for who I am.” And he’d reply, “Yes, that’s what a real family does.”
Click on any image to enlarge it or to begin slide show.
“Strangers are just family you have yet to come to know.” ~Mitch Albom
“When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching–they are your family.” ~Jim Butcher
“Home isn’t where you’re from, it’s where you find light when all grows dark.”~Pierce Brown
“After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.” ~Oscar Wilde
“A dysfunctional family is any family with more than one person in it.” ~Mary Karr
“One day you will do things for me that you hate. That is what it means to be family.” ~Jonathan Safran Foer
“Home is where you are loved the most and act the worst.” ~Marjorie Pay Hinckley
“Ask anyone and they’ll most likely say their family is crazy, and if they don’t say their family is crazy, their friends are crazy. That’s because everyone is crazy after taking the mask off.” ~Criss Jami
Those animal photos sure made me smile. Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a great weekend.
Thank you, you too, Rasma.
Beautiful 💕
Wow! I always love the way you put together an actual smorgasbord of eclectic photos and quotes in a topic! This was a zinger! Needed this!
Thank you!
My pleasure, Peach.
A beautiful and sweet post… it’s so true!
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A touching and compassionate reflection—beautifully redefining family as something built through love, care, and connection rather than biology alone. 💛✨
Even just to see love is to feel an increase of love. That increase makes things far more easily forgivable. (Or, if only our legislators would break out of patterns and let us see love.) That Foer quote is astounding food for thought.
Family in blood is meaningless without family in bond.
Well said, Andrew.
Thanks, Mitch.
I’ve been blessed with many families, by blood, by faith, by friendships, by older folks who took me in and mentored me, but there is that friend that sticks closer than a brother and He accepted me when all others rejected me and He taught me to accept myself. I’m happy to be part of the human family, learning to love the unlovely, in the same way that Jesus loves me.
Amen, Pamela. 🧡
Lots of great photos. I do love the monkey with the white dove. As Robert Frost said, “Home is the place that when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” ( From Death of the Hired Man.)
Exactly, Pete.
Love ❤️ this Mitch! Family brings a mixed bag, seasoned with love.
Truth right here…thank you so much for all of these smiles, Mitch! “Found family” is one of my favorite phrases…and I feel so lucky to have good people around me. xo! 💝
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Wonderful post Mitch. That is exactly what family is.
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The natural world is so smart sometimes. The people world, too. I know the peaceable kingdom is a vision, but maybe it’s a plan. Thanks, Mitch, for the words from you and all others and for the endearing photographs.
My pleasure, Christopher.
Lovely families! I’m particularly enamored by the family of 15 and the hen keeping the pups warm. 🙂
OH MITCH!!! You have won my heart with this one! I love every single photo! We humans … most of us, anyway … could take a lesson from most every other species on love without conditions, on accepting all, regardless of fur/skin colour, number of toes, or whatever! Thank you for this heartwarming post, Mitch!
My pleasure, Jill❣
I really wish people had to go through some type of counseling or testing before they became parents. It’s heartbreaking to see how some people treat their kids
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Great pics. I like to watch The Pet Collective channel and there are so many cute videos of unexpected animal friends.
I’ll have to check that out, PK.
Familles de sang, familles de coeur, familles de tous les êtres vivants… Have a good day !
Exactement, Francoise!
These photos share glimpses of the new earth to come, when those who’ve believed in Christ will all live together in perfect harmony for eternity, when even the wolf and the lamb will live together in peace (Revelation 21:1; John 3:16; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Isaiah 11:6). Such a reality is amazing to think about!
It certainly is, Nancy❣
nancy knows revelation 46:01 the lord is my refuge & strength, isaiah 13:06 jesus is the same yesterday today & now, john 3:41
Always great pics and wonderful thoughts
Thanks for the smiles. I love the idea of ‘friendmass’ where you spend Xmas with your friends. My family emigrated, alone in a new country my parents looked up friends of my uncle who they had never met , but we all clicked and we spent every Xmas with them.
I love your pics! Thanks for sharing such uplifting images!
My pleasure, Lisa!
Mitch, thank you for sharing. Photos beautiful in their own way.
In my book crazy is when one continues to act in ways that harms and fails to be balance in their way of acting that benefits all involve.
Soon you and Trudy will have me knocking at your door. Ready to adopt? 🙂
Have a wonderful week ahead.
“Strangers are just family you have yet to come to know.” ~Mitch Albom
;>)
Mitch, these are all so wonderful. Every single one made me smile. Thank you so much!
My pleasure, Tim!
Love the beautiful photographs and the quotes today! Hope the sun is shining your way!
Likewise, my Anonymous friend.
Absolutely beautiful Mitch. I was so blessed to be an adopted child with the best parents I could have hoped for. I found my birth mother late in life and discovered the power of genetics as well as how much love had been in the family for generations. My parents and birth parents have all passed and I’ve found a new family when I was “adopted” by Dr. Opal Lee. My grandmother has taught me so much about loving and serving God’s beautiful creation.
What a lovely testimony.