In American tradition especially, family is emphasized to a greater degree than in other cultures. Thanksgiving is a prime example of this. People coming in from out of town to have a meal together maybe only a couple of times a year.  But what really is family? It means so much more than simply who is related to you by blood. It can be a family friend, a coworker or even your peers, not just aunts and uncles .

The meaning of family has changed significantly. Today divorce rates are higher than they have ever been, according to apa.org, in the United States alone divorce rates in 2016 are 40-50 percent. People are more mobile than they have ever been, taking jobs in various states or even countries with little emphasis of who they are leaving behind because getting in  airplane and moving is so easy. A lot of people have family who do not necessarily live in the same state or sometimes in the same country as their blood related relatives, and oftentimes, based on varied circumstances, it is merely impossible for everyone to gather to celebrate for whatever reason.

To me, family is so much more than who my parent’s siblings are. Although my parents aren’t divorced, we have never been close to blood related relatives and that is okay. Maybe my definition would be different if they were more present in my life. My true family are my parent’s friends. They are the ones who watched me grow up, helped me through my struggles, and fed me when my parents were out of town. These are the people I want to surround myself with during Thanksgiving.

I realize everyone has their own definition of family, but just because it seems that everything is blood related, doesn’t mean it is. So much has changed with the American family, and things are only continuing to change.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Gabby Perelmuter at [email protected].