Family

[Thumbcocker]

Some recent posts have referred to this virtual community as family. That got me to thinking. How can people not related by blood, who have never seen each other and may never see each other be a family? Just take a peek into the political and religious section of this form. Things are said in there that would peel the letters off your keyboard and make even the lurkers wish for nomex undies. Family.... hmmmm

A little more thought shows how accurate that term is. Think about a family reunion. Try bringing up politics there. Check out the nephew or cousin's kid with the multi colored hair and piercings. Listend to Grandpa or Uncle ______ 's story about the _______ again this year and notice how much better it is than last year. Look around and see who is pouting and not speaking to each other..... again. By the end of the day you are glad to be home wondering about the genetic **** shoot that linked you to this disfunctional bunch. Family...... hummm.

Think a little more. Who will be at your house in a moment if you get hurt. Who will feed you if you show up hungry. Help you out if you lose your job, listend to cry and hug you when you lose someone close. Who can you work on something with and not have to worry if they have their end of the heavy load or remembered to tourque the head bolts. Who will put aside petty differences and fudes when the excrement hits the air circulation device and cover your back. Family.

Recent events on this list show that "family" isn't bound by blood or genetics. Heck you all come here by choice. You CHOSE each other. You came in with your eyes wide open knowing that there are folks here that will never agree with you on things but you keep coming back.

On more than one occasion when family was in a bind you came running and put differences aside and helped. You offered advice, support, prayers, and financial assistance. Family. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

You all made me proud to be associated, even by means of electrons, with you. I have no doubt that you would come to the aid of my wife or daughter on a rainy night by the side of the road. You are that kind of people..Family.

All of you should rains one hand high, bring it down behind you, and give yourselves a pat on the back. From me. I am proud to be associated with you all. You represent the best of what homo sapians can be. Thank you all for teaching me about family.

[Ed Barrett]

We are sort of a semi-Dysfunctional family.

[Heavy lead]

We are sort of a semi-Dysfunctional family.

They all are.
Everyone seems "normal" until you get to know them.

[geargnasher]

They all are.
Everyone seems "normal" until you get to know them.

+1.

But not very many families have discussions about bowling ball mortars ;-)

Gear

[Buckshot]

............Lots of members of this 'family' have been putting up with each other since 1997/1998 and the first Family Reunion was held in 2000 in Topaz Lake, NV. Better known now as NCBS and if you've ever been to one you'll understand why this is the TENTH ANNUAL one.

Doesn't matter if you've been around 12 or 13 years or 12 or 13 days. Family is family, and there's simply nothing you can do about it. You're simply stuck with'em :drinks:

...............Buckshot

[Bad Water Bill]

[smilie=w:Ain't it a great family. They even put up with me. What more can I say.

[Lloyd Smale]

when i had my fire and lost all my loading and casting gear i found out how much of a brotherhood this place really is. What you see on here isnt a drop in the big bucket.

[theperfessor]

I always heard you could choose your friends but not your family. Another adage shot down...

I'm glad I chose to join this family.

[Maven]

In another life, I was a professor of sociology and cultural anthropology. Both fields agree that "family" means more than ties of blood and marriage. Sometimes it's fictional;* i.e., there are no blood or marital ties, but we feel close enough to others to call them "brother," "sister," "aunt," "uncle," etc. Anthropologists studying so-called primitive peoples are sometimes "adopted" and fitted into the life of the group via insertion into the kinship system. I believe the closeness to others dimension is what we feel on this site.


*Fictional kinship (fictive kinship in anthropological jargon) also refers to members of kin groups known as clans, where the founding ancestor may be human or animal, real or imagined. E.g., the clan of the cave bear, clan of the turtle, etc.

[No_1]

Good point Maven. I guess that makes us "Clan of the Silver Stream".

I am a proud member!

R.

[Gar]

My wife was killed in a motorcycle accident a few years back, before I was released from the hospital most of my biker "family" had rode or flew in from all over the western US to be with me for the funeral. These are people I met on the net and rode with once or twice a year, they drop what they were doing and several stayed to baby sit me for several weeks after the accident before they resumed their lives. Don’t know what I would have done without them.

Family? You better believe it!

Just like this forum, people of like minded interest getting together, discuss, argue and bicker with each other over ideas. Then they go out and play together, help each other out and come back to start all over again.

Got to love the internet, how else would we have met?

[1Shirt]

:There is an old yankee saying "ya can pick your inlaws, but your stuck with your family", disfunctional or not, they is what they is!
1Shirt!:coffee:

[DLCTEX]

My wife saw the count of my posting here and wanted to know what could I find to talk about that much? I said you can always find something to talk about with your brothers and sisters.

[Bret4207]

There are guys and girls I worked with that I couldn't stand, wouldn't cross the street to talk to them. But if they needed something or were in trouble if I could help I would, and they would me also, even though they disliked me just as fervently. It's a brotherhood, a family. Whether it's the Troopers I used to work with, Marines I never even served with or my 13,000 nearest and dearest cyber buddies here, it's family.

[Hickory]

Once, I found myself down & out, in a pretty sad state.
Someone helped me. I said "I don't know how I can repay you."
He said "There's no way you can pay me back." I was taken back
by his statement. Thinking he wanted more then he had given.
But then he also said "You owe the next person whom you can help."
And I do when I can. We all should.

[mroliver77]

Dangitall!, I tried to explain my attraction to you'all but it got drawn out. most of us .... heck I dont know how to state it but there is a bond here that dont make sense but I consider most of you my brothers and sisters.
Jay

[Taylor]

When men come together for a common cause,or with the same interest,I think either forced or voluntary,then they bond and create a family.Sometimes they may not see one another for years,but you don't forget your family.A couple situations come to mind--soldier's,who do endure certain hardships both in peace time and especially during war.Their always seem's to be that little place in the world that no one has ever heard of.The other that comes to mind is the bikers--not the independents that occasionally have a beer together,but the ones who wear a patch, who are together at all times.Who live on a motorcycle,who put more miles on two wheels than most do on 4.To them the patch is family,whether you are an active member or retired.No- you do not have to be blood to be family.Brothers,it really is good to have family,no matter what brings you together,I have no family here,I guess you guy's are it.