Some thoughts on family and charity
The subject of family occupies my mind a lot lately, and I am sure they feel the same way with the holidays coming up; at what point do you really need those “family ties” and at what point can you say “piss it” and be with the family you have created, instead of the one you were born into?
Your family does not have to mean the standard definition of nuclear family — husband, wife, 2.2 kids and a dog living in the suburbs. As the media has shown over the years, your family is who you chose it to be. The first example that comes to my mind is the show that everyone either loathes or loves, Friends. Six totally different people (two related, mind you) become a family unit as over 10 years we watch their ups and downs. Every year they spend Thanksgiving together (some of the most memorable shows including six types of potatoes, Joey wearing maternity pants to eat the entire turkey himself, or Brad Pitt as a guest at the table). In the USA, Thanksgiving is often considered a bigger holiday than Christmas, yet this “family of friends” chooses to spend it together.
One of my favourite musicals is Rent (having first seen it in NYC, I loved it even more in Toronto), which deals with a whole mug full of topics. But underlying it all, you realize that there is a common theme; All these disparate people have woven themselves into a family that cares about each other. Supports each other. Loves each other — through thick, thin, and the severe illness (HIV) that plagued the East Village at the time of its writing.
My family these days is a close network of friends from many walks of life. A former classmate who has stuck by me through everything: cancer, depression, divorce and spousal abuse; the boyfriend who comes over on his lunch every day to give me a hug and a kiss, even though I am usually asleep; and a number of people in my apartment building (ironically, some are older than my parents are!) It does not matter what time of day or night it is, we are there for each other in a second because that is what family is for.
Perhaps it is time for Oxford to change their definition of family from “parents and their children; a person's children; set of relatives; or a group of related plants or animals” to something more relevant than what they printed in the 2001 edition I just quoted from. How about FAMILY (n) “A group of people that are alike and help, adore and love each other, despite how different they are and always will be. A FAMILY is a group that relies on mutual trust, respect, love, and understanding. A FAMILY realizes that one always has bad days, weeks, etc. and is there to comfort them if they need it. A FAMILY can change its rules by mutual decision. A FAMILY will never let you down, as they know what is important to you.
Amongst all of the holiday flyers, advertisements and junk mail, they have started to arrive; the, “We really need your help” letters with the guilt gifts enclosed. Canadian Cancer Society? Return address labels. Covenant House? A Necklace with an angel on it to remind you that they are doing God's work. (Thanks for the chain, by the way. I have been looking for one like that for weeks!) MS Association of Canada? Return address labels. Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation? Return address labels. (All of the above got my address from Bell Canada, which I know because my name on the bill is different than any other mailing I get. Thanks, Hell Canada!)
But the worst offender has to be London Health Sciences. Two to three times a week I get a letter begging for money — I understand why: they have been told to balance their budgets by April of next year and need all the money they can get. I have asked them time and time again to NOT send the mailings to me so now I am getting more serious: I put my pledge form in their postage paid envelope and sent it back. That way it costs them money to get no money from me. Dirty pool? Oh yeah, but I think saying NO once should be enough to take me off their mailing lists.
I am not a religious person, but I believe that spirituality lies everywhere, life can be your heaven or your hell, etc. I know that each one of these charities needs my money, and I help when I can. In September, I started a container of nickels and pennies to put into the Salvation Army kettles and to give to other people who hang out in malls and grocery store entrances. They stand there all day and freeze their tushies off — they do not computer generate a letter and pop it in the post. THEY at least deserve some of what little change I have every day.
Janet is a second year student in the hospitality department on an extended sick leave. She is still looking for Colm Feore as the perfect stocking stuffer and that great wind last night cleaned the litter box for her. She can be reached at djembejanet@hotmail.com now that her Internet is up and running again.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Your family does not have to mean the standard definition of nuclear family — husband, wife, 2.2 kids and a dog living in the suburbs. As the media has shown over the years, your family is who you chose it to be. The first example that comes to my mind is the show that everyone either loathes or loves, Friends. Six totally different people (two related, mind you) become a family unit as over 10 years we watch their ups and downs. Every year they spend Thanksgiving together (some of the most memorable shows including six types of potatoes, Joey wearing maternity pants to eat the entire turkey himself, or Brad Pitt as a guest at the table). In the USA, Thanksgiving is often considered a bigger holiday than Christmas, yet this “family of friends” chooses to spend it together.
One of my favourite musicals is Rent (having first seen it in NYC, I loved it even more in Toronto), which deals with a whole mug full of topics. But underlying it all, you realize that there is a common theme; All these disparate people have woven themselves into a family that cares about each other. Supports each other. Loves each other — through thick, thin, and the severe illness (HIV) that plagued the East Village at the time of its writing.
My family these days is a close network of friends from many walks of life. A former classmate who has stuck by me through everything: cancer, depression, divorce and spousal abuse; the boyfriend who comes over on his lunch every day to give me a hug and a kiss, even though I am usually asleep; and a number of people in my apartment building (ironically, some are older than my parents are!) It does not matter what time of day or night it is, we are there for each other in a second because that is what family is for.
Perhaps it is time for Oxford to change their definition of family from “parents and their children; a person's children; set of relatives; or a group of related plants or animals” to something more relevant than what they printed in the 2001 edition I just quoted from. How about FAMILY (n) “A group of people that are alike and help, adore and love each other, despite how different they are and always will be. A FAMILY is a group that relies on mutual trust, respect, love, and understanding. A FAMILY realizes that one always has bad days, weeks, etc. and is there to comfort them if they need it. A FAMILY can change its rules by mutual decision. A FAMILY will never let you down, as they know what is important to you.
Amongst all of the holiday flyers, advertisements and junk mail, they have started to arrive; the, “We really need your help” letters with the guilt gifts enclosed. Canadian Cancer Society? Return address labels. Covenant House? A Necklace with an angel on it to remind you that they are doing God's work. (Thanks for the chain, by the way. I have been looking for one like that for weeks!) MS Association of Canada? Return address labels. Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation? Return address labels. (All of the above got my address from Bell Canada, which I know because my name on the bill is different than any other mailing I get. Thanks, Hell Canada!)
But the worst offender has to be London Health Sciences. Two to three times a week I get a letter begging for money — I understand why: they have been told to balance their budgets by April of next year and need all the money they can get. I have asked them time and time again to NOT send the mailings to me so now I am getting more serious: I put my pledge form in their postage paid envelope and sent it back. That way it costs them money to get no money from me. Dirty pool? Oh yeah, but I think saying NO once should be enough to take me off their mailing lists.
I am not a religious person, but I believe that spirituality lies everywhere, life can be your heaven or your hell, etc. I know that each one of these charities needs my money, and I help when I can. In September, I started a container of nickels and pennies to put into the Salvation Army kettles and to give to other people who hang out in malls and grocery store entrances. They stand there all day and freeze their tushies off — they do not computer generate a letter and pop it in the post. THEY at least deserve some of what little change I have every day.
Janet is a second year student in the hospitality department on an extended sick leave. She is still looking for Colm Feore as the perfect stocking stuffer and that great wind last night cleaned the litter box for her. She can be reached at djembejanet@hotmail.com now that her Internet is up and running again.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
