We each need people. I heard from a mother today who has an eight year old daughter. The daughter told her mom recently, “I need you mom so please don’t die.” The little girl had tears in her eyes as she spoke to her mom.

Certainly, she was concerned about losing her beloved mother. Children are astonishing sometimes and know well they need the nurturing and care of their mom’s and dad’s and people around them. 

In another instance, I saw today from my sunroom window a baby fawn near her mother in our backyard. Mother was cleaning her offspring. Then mama dear headed for the woods. There went the baby deer trailing off in the direction of mother dear almost in a panic not wanting to lose her food source and caring, protective parent.

Whether we want to admit to it or not, we need our family members and other people for our well-being and happiness. Even Henry David Thoreau had friends if only at times the animal and plant kingdoms. We befriend animals for a reason. They get attached to us usually when we feed and care for them. They depend on us and give to us much love in return.

Sometimes we may think of ourselves as islands, ‘oh I can go it alone.’ Soon to find out our computer or home water flow stops working. We become alarmed and remember we certainly need people.

I laugh at some world leaders who think they are independent of other countries. Only to recall how desperate and needy any country or group may become, desperate for help from neighbor people or countries in order to survive. It’s the way things work on earth.

Everything created coexists because of someone or something else. We are each creations in a larger system of life supporting other life.

Family members need other family members. At one point, oh maybe more than once, I wanted to disown my older brother and sister. I was ticked at them. My dad sat me down and we talked. By the time he was finished guiding me, I said you are right dad deep down I love my siblings so. However, there are times… Fortunately, I learned from those times I wanted to turn away from bigger brother and sister.

I did not shut them out of my heart though through it all. I always kept and keep loving them even in the hectic and high water times. I had come to know they were dear to me and I needed them for a deep reason. We had shared so much of life together. We deeply understood one another. We are connected psychically. 

With our siblings and other family members, we’ve closely shared the ups and downs of life, the scary moments and those joyous moments—maybe more similarities, shared experiences and commonalities than anyone else on earth.  

When I counsel people and they are at odds with some family member, I encourage them to make amends. Do not lose your love for them. They cannot be replaced. Forgive and seek to work at finding pieces within yourself you adore and feel so thankful because they have been and are a sacred part of your life. 

Having said that, I do realize how challenging family members can be. My sister got addicted to drugs. My brother was a know-it-all, an authoritarian and became the top dog whenever father and mother were not around. My mother would get moody and dad got anger spells. Family members can challenge us so. However, underneath all that there is love—pure, bonding and untainted.

Find this kind of love within yourself nestled inside in your connection with God in prayer, in your feelings, deep thoughts, reflections, contemplations and meditations. It’s worth it; gives us peace within ourselves.  We want to remember love and not forsake it. It is the greatest healer and attracter of good for us as individuals, helping all others restore also.