Living without a Family
There is a segment of society that goes through life without a family. And this group seems to be growing. It is a new reality taking place all over the world.
The reasons for it are many. Sometimes an only child doesn’t form a family of their own. Thus they get to old age alone. Sometimes families simply disperse and each person lives thousands of miles from each other. And other times it’s violence that forces a person to live without a family. It could also be that someone of advanced age is abandoned by their relatives.
“The bond that unites your authentic family is not blood, but mutual respect and joy.”
-Richard Bach-
The disturbing thing is that up to not long ago, this was an exception. Now, however, while it’s not a majority it is still a common and growing scenario. The number of people who decide not to marry has grown and the number of families that have only one child is also much higher.
Living without a family makes us more vulnerable
The concept of “family” is idealized a lot. The truth is there are always problems in families. Just like with couples, families are also full of contradictions. They’re made up of humans, and so there is always a mix of noble feelings and negative passions.
Nevertheless, normally family relationships are stronger than those we establish with others. Like they say, “blood is thicker than water”. Even among relatives who don’t understand each other very well, blood relations often imply some level of commitment to each other.
That’s why living without a family makes us more vulnerable. True, sometimes the family is a huge source of physical or psychological risk. However, he who has a family that is more or less healthy, is better protected against the dangers of life.
Loneliness as a choice
It has been said that sooner or later we will all have to face solitude. Either because there is no one to turn to, or because others just aren’t available to help us. And this is true whether you’re with or without a family. We all have to prepare ourselves for it emotionally.
Is it possible to live without a family and still be happy? The answer is yes. Humans are endowed with an incredible capacity for adaptation, which allows us to cope with all kinds of circumstances.
The only really important thing is that this condition be the fruit of conscious choice. Because we’ve either freely opted for a life like that, or because the circumstances have been such that the person can accept that life without altering their overall course.
When living without a family is a condition we are forced into, things can be very different. It can be very painful. It can also lead to fear and anxiety, which eventually lead to physical illnesses and even death.
Think of the future and push yourself forward
There is a point in life when everyone should identify how much living without a family matters to them. Sometimes you just let time go by, without actually facing the issue. But there will come a time when it may be too late.
If we recognize that living with others is very important to us, we can make decisions and take action to make that how we live. After all, the circumstances of our lives do not fall from the sky; they must be built. First in the mind and the heart, and then in action. And really, there are many ways to build a family today. We can shuffle our options and choose the best one.
On the other hand, if we find that living with others is not so important to us, we must prepare to accept the cost of that decision. There are also advantages, however. Living without a family doesn’t mean sinking into absolute loneliness. There are ways to feel like everything and everyone is your home.