Recently my wife and I have been packing up copious amounts of our stuff in preparation to move a whopping 6 city blocks. This is always stressful, especially for Jenny, who becomes a fountainhead of anxiety when seeing all her things out of order and in cardboard boxes.

But seeing my wife fret, I wondered why I wasn’t. The answer is a bit embarrassing, but also heartening in a way.

The reason I’m not stressed is because tomorrow my parents are coming into town to help. I’ve spent my whole life trying to shed the “momma’s boy” image that I obtained through encountering over masculinized cousins and playmates, but when it comes down to it I couldn’t be happier that my inner child still has the privileged to think “Mom and Dad will make it alright”.

I know this could come off as “haha, I like my parents and you don’t”, but I really don’t mean it that way. As I look around at students, co-workers, and friends who are relegated to viewing their parents as a worry, burden, or non-sequiter I just have to encourage those whose parents fall into the “not so bad” category to rejoice.

It’s such a damn privledge to know that my parents are tripping over themselves to come help us move. To know that a real friend helps you move, and that my parents are real friends. They don’t expect anything of me nor I from them just because we’re blood. We have a real relationship based on earned respect (not assumed respect) and an ever changing dynamic as I grow up.

But for those who have a rocky or null relationship with there blood family, take heart! You’re family is who you make it. Reach out to a friend and make them your family, it’s got nothing to do with blood and everything to do with the way we treat one another. With all this Christian “Focus on the Family” blabber-mouthing about “family values” we’ve forgotten that Christ himself dissed his mom and siblings (Matt 12:46) and suggested that we choose our family. We are all family. Family values exist, not just within the blood relation, it’s the respect and willingness to “help move” that you have for your friends and associates.