Ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind…. or forgotten.
If you come from a family where you are always welcome and you always belong, you might take this for granted.
I did.
But if you come from an unhealthy family where everyone is pitted against each other, manipulated, used or abused, you probably don’t know about Ohana.
Since I’ve been on my own I’ve worked really hard at repairing my little family. But what I had taken for granted as a child, I couldn’t re-create as an adult until I understood it.
I get it now.
The idea of family is to be in the family. That’s all.
The idea is not to personally gain from each other. It’s not to expect perfection from each other. It’s not meant to be a servant and master relationship. It isn’t a place to be judged or belittled.
Family is a place to belong.
There are a few “rules” to a healthy family, the first one being that nobody gets left behind, or forgotten.
You show up for each other. You include each other and have an understanding that you are always welcome to be with each other.
My best friend said to me yesterday, “you are part of my family, and there is only one way out”.
Once you’re in the family, you’re in forever. And it’s an honour that shouldn’t be dismissed.
The worst thing in the world is to feel like you don’t belong.
The best thing is to be a part of a great family… or 2… or 3 great families.
If you have that, you have enough. Everything else is just icing on the cake.