Today is Family Day, and for some of us, its Framily Day too. According to the Macmillan Dictionary, Framily are “people who are not related to you, but are your close friends, and are as important to you as family.”
Ironically, I first heard this expression from a family member, my super awesome niece Molly. I also learned first hand about the importance of Framily from my super awesome mom Sue and my Aunt Marcia.
Now my Aunt Marcia is no more genetically related to me than I am to my dog Buddy. My Aunt is my Aunt because my mother has been best friends with Marcia for over 60 years. They have shared a lifetime of experiences together, and because of Framily, I have too.
Growing up, my brother, mother, and I would often spend our summer holidays visiting Marcia and her family in B.C. Marcia, who never had children, has always treated us like her own, and along with her mother Eloise, and sister Maura, planned the most excellent adventures for us. We explored Stanley Park from top to bottom, visited the Aquarium, sailed in the harbor, swam at Rathtrevor Beach, and participated in car rallies in Whistler where we would use toothbrushes and Q-tips to help Marica’s husband win the cleanest car award.
When she is not traveling the world, Marcia spends holidays with us too. She sets the bar high with her unique holiday ensembles courtesy of Value Village and the Army-Navy Store. This Christmas she surprised all of us by thoughtfully gifting some of her treasured Christmas decorations collected during her travels, specially chosen for each one of us.
Helen and Bruce, Larry and Linda, and Karen are Framily too. That’s because when my parents moved to BC twenty-two years ago, these friends opened their hearts and invited my parents, who were far from their family, to their own family and social gatherings. They understood single or coupled, what it is like to be on your own, far away from home, and how nice it feels to be included and share with others.
Looking back, my mother has always been a bit of a poster child for Framily. All my life, no matter what the occasion, my mother invited neighbours and friends to celebrate with us, she built a community of Framily, and I am very grateful to my mother for this lesson. If it were not for her example, I would not have had these wonderful experiences, or met friends that have enriched my life and become my Framily along the way.
As you celebrate Family Day, I encourage you to consider people in your life who are important to you. People you value, and truly want to share your time and experiences with to enrich your life. People who might be transitioning through change, and might need some Framily to help them along the way.
Best wishes for a super awesome Family/Framily Day!
Jane
