The Journey has BEGUN!!

 WOW. That is honestly the first word that comes to mind if I could sum up the past few weeks, for multiple reasons. Let me just say that I am AMAZED with the depth I have experienced just within a short amount of time. I knew I wanted to look more into this topic, but I had NO IDEA how much I would learn and connect to it in such a small period of time.

There are a few things that have been on my mind this week that I want to share with you. First off, I am AMAZED with how much I thought I knew about "the family." I have my OWN family for heaven sakes! Don't I know enough?! or even TOO much??! hahaha. And the answer to that question is a substantial "no, I have definitely not." What I have learned is that there is MUCH MORE to understand daily about this topic, especially in today's world. Every day there is a continual shift/change that is occurring whether we notice it or not. And I believe that it is crucial for us to pay attention and clearly understand our view of this topic.

Something I was pondering this morning, that I wanted to talk about, is the idea of the "traditional" family. It has been a fundemental part of our society for many years, and has been a solid belief among most people around the world. However, as I was reading many different articles on the subject of marriage, trends in society, and the overall family, it was shocking to discover how QUICKLY things are switching.  It seems common, promoted, or even POPULAR to live life as an individual and to avoid the struggles of a family. Both the idea of marriage and "the family"are being demeaned. And increasingly, it is a widely ACCEPTED idea, especially among the younger generations around the globe.

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE and THRIVE living the single life!! It is a BLAST! There is SO much to experience in this world (especially as a younger individual), and it is very HEALTHY and beneficial to have goals and life experiences. So I am NOT discounting that at all. However, there is so much MORE that comes with marriage and the family that we often don't realize or even consider. And that could be because of either our overall view of the subject, our personal marriage and family experiences, our current stage of life etc. And that's okay. But I would like to enlighten you just a bit about a few ideas I have learned that I want you to consider for a moment.

One idea in particular is how FUNDAMENTAL the family unit IS in creating a strong and stable society. I know that may sound cliche to you. That has been what many would call an "old tradition" and may seem "out of style" or "beyond the times." However, as I have looked into this idea for myself, and I have come to SEE how much TIME and RESEARCH has gone into studying this subject over a course of many years. It is obvious that the world has been continually evolving and changing. But the same key information has been discovered within the timeline even up our present time. That the family is CENTRAL to our communities, our relationships, the economy, workplace, education, religion, and overall society as a whole. And there is much evidence that is shown to prove that point. Something I found VERY interesting is when I looked into what the UN (United Nations) stands for and what their goals are. And within their official document it states that the family is CENTRAL to achieving their goals, and that it is fundamental in order for our society to thrive and achieve. And that BLEW me away! It was not until I had actually READ the official document for myself that I noticed that part of it. And sadly, it's not something they talk about or emphasize. But is crucial for us to understand as we carry forward into the future.

I am excited to talk more in depth with you about more specifics as I continue learning these things for myself! But I hope I could enlighten you just a little with a few of my ideas and observations :))