It’s All About Family

Rediscovering the connections that hold us together.

As the holidays approach at what feels like lightning speed, I can’t help but pause and reflect on what truly matters. In a season filled with gifts, gatherings, and endless to-do lists, it’s easy to get swept up in the noise. But at the end of the day—during the holidays and all year long—it’s all about family.

And when I say family, I don’t just mean blood relatives. I’m talking about the people who have walked with us through life. The ones who show up. The ones who love us, challenge us, support us, laugh with us, and sometimes even cry with us. The brothers and sisters we grew up with, the cousins who feel like lifelong friends, the aunts and uncles who shaped us, the moms and dads who carried us, the grandparents whose wisdom echoes in our hearts. And yes—our friends who became family along the way.

As we continue on this journey we call life, one thing becomes very clear: we need each other.
Through the good times and the not-so-good times, through seasons of joy and seasons of struggle, we were never meant to walk this path alone.

Somewhere along the way, as technology advanced and life sped up, we lost a little bit of that connection. We became more plugged-in, but more disconnected. More reachable online, but harder to reach in real life. And honestly, that’s heartbreaking. I miss the old days sometimes—the days before constant notifications and WiFi, when conversations were face-to-face and time together felt slower, richer, more intentional.

But even as the world changes, one truth stays the same:
Family is where life happens.
Family is where memories are made.
Family is where we return when the world gets noisy.

I love my family—all of them. The ones related by blood and the ones bound by love. And this holiday season, I’m choosing to slow down, to reconnect, and to remember what matters most.

Because in the end, it really is all about family.

Today is Juneteenth…

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed African Americans that slavery had been abolished—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The formerly enslaved rejoiced with prayer, feasting, and song. Juneteenth has since become an annual tradition, marked by prayer services, speeches, family gatherings, and festivals, symbolizing freedom and resilience.

A few poignant poems about freedom:

  1. “Let America Be America Again” by Langston Hughes:
  2. Let America be America again.
    Let it be the dream it used to be.
    Let it be the pioneer on the plain.
    Seeking a home where he himself is free.
    (America never was America to me.)
    Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed—
    Let it be that great strong land of love.
    Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme1
    .
  3. “Freedom Opportunity” by Raymond Garfield Dandridge:“Freedom Opportunity” celebrates the spirit of independence and self-determination.
  4. “No Bondage For Me” by William Francis Barnard:A liberating poem that explores emancipation from oppressive systems.
  5. “The Divine Source of Liberty” by Samuel Adams:Reflects on the profound connection between law, liberty, and the human spirit.
  6. “Song of the American Eagle” (Anonymous):An uplifting piece that soars with the symbolism of freedom.

Here are some remarkable historical figures who championed liberty and fought for freedom:

Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry
  1. Patrick Henry:
Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette
  1. Marquis de Lafayette:
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
  1. Mahatma Gandhi:

These individuals left indelible marks on history, reminding us of the enduring value of liberty. 

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