02/16/2026
Today is Family Day, a name for a stat holiday that might instantly trigger some folks, and cause a flood of emotions for one reason or the other. I am one of those people.
I grew up with a mother who said the word “family” as if it were something smelly on the bottom of her shoe. She would turn her lip up, almost growl, and say “ugh, family”. Granted, her childhood was marred by the trauma that her ancestors experienced, fleeing the war in the Ukraine in 1919 when her mother was just a child; but from a very young age, I always had a deep-seated knowing that my mother was wrong on this one. I knew in my heart of hearts that family could be the most beautiful thing available to us as creatures who crave connection.
Because I was raised as an only child, I didn’t have a lot of family, so I went out into the world for many decades to “find my tribe”. Family doesn’t have to be blood, you see, although sometimes they also are. I was blessed enough to find Andy 20 years ago, and to bring our children into the world together. The four of us are a tight family unit, and for me having not had that as a child, it’s something that I cherish each and every day.
My sisters and I found out about one another eight years ago now, when I was 37 years old. I was living in England at the time, and had a baby in my arms and a 22 month old racing around my feet. My sisters flew straight over and spent two whole weeks with us, and we stayed up into the wee morning hours downloading our early lives to one another. They have become such beacons of light and love in my life, and they’re also wonderful aunties to my girls.
So you see, family can come in all different shapes and sizes. Some family members are blood, some aren’t. Some have known you their whole lives, others you find along the way. What this day celebrates to me is our infinite capacity for connection, our craving to be seen and heard, loved and held by those around us. So take a moment today to hold those dear to you in your arms or your heart. In these tumultuous times, moments where we acknowledge the immense power of love are of the utmost importance.
