Families are Powerful

Hello friends!

I am not very great at introductions, so let’s just jump right in!

Today I want to talk to you about the importance of cultures and how they can make an impact!

Culture is what makes us different from others. If we were all the same, we wouldn’t have different cultures. When I think of culture, I think of the different values, traditions, and beliefs that a group of people possess. When people think of culture, I think that they tend to tie it to a large group of people. For example, because I live in America, I am a part of a specific culture. I agree with that. I also agree that we have smaller cultures within those larger ones. America has certain traditions, values, and beliefs. We can break this down into states, communities, and even our families.  

I think that most cultures have some good aspects and some bad. One thing that I like about American culture is the mindset of hard work pays off.  A common view of America is that this is a great place to achieve your goals. I love that. On the other hand, a common view here is that individualism is good, and I do not completely agree with that. It is important to be self-reliant, but I believe that a lot of people take this too far. They believe that they do not need other people to be happy. Our culture is all about “doing what makes YOU happy” and putting yourself first. Because of this, families have declined. A good amount of the population thinks that having a family will hold them back. This view has made us self-centered.

We need to change this.

How do we change this? We can start with our families. There is power in the family. Like I talked about earlier, each family has its own “culture”. We need to make sure that we keep up with the good values, traditions, and beliefs in our families. You may think that we can’t change a whole population with one family, but I really believe we can make a big difference. Have you ever been over to a friend’s house and liked a tradition that they had? Maybe it even inspired you to incorporate that into your own family. Maybe somebody joined your family and they brought a tradition with them. This is small, but it can have a chain reaction. If people see you happy with your family, it might inspire them. I know that I have experienced this. I already have an idea of how I want to raise my future children because I have seen a lot of things that I like from a variety of families.

Growing up, we had three family rules: have fun, pray before everything, and take care of everyone. My dad always emphasized the “have fun” rule. Anytime we brought a new friend over he would tell them the rule, or he would have someone who had already been over tell them. I think that almost anyone who has ever been to my house could tell you this rule. People love being in our home because of the kind of place that my parents have made it. This family rule is a big part of our family culture. I know that has had an impression on a lot of people. You see, by staying true to our family culture (the good things, maybe somethings should change) we have an impact on people.

Just to clarify, I believe that diversity is good. I like that we have different cultures and that no two families are the same. We can and should inspire others by our culture. We should also learn from other cultures.

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts!

Have a happy day!

-Madz