Thoughts on Family

I know I'm in the middle of a challenge, but I have been mulling something in my head for a couple of days now. I'm so big on family and would love to be close to my extended family, but we just aren't. I have tried. We keep in touch for awhile and eventually we drift in to our own worlds. Often I have been the one to step forward in an attempt to be closer. It's no one's fault, it just doesn't happen. I'm sad to say this represents both sides of the family. It's also sad to say that behavior plays a huge part of this solidarity. When people behave in a certain manner, I lose interest in wanting to fraternize with them *shrug*. The real shame in not being close to my dad's side is that they are amazingly strong to me. I don't know that they even realize it. I mean, my grandmother died at 37, leaving my grandfather to raise 6 kids. Well, my dad was 17 and his brother 18, but the 3 girls were still at home. He didn't remarry until his kids were all grown. He lost his baby girl a few years after my grandmother. Fast forward 30 something years and he lost another daughter and now this year a son. They all lost so many immediate family members and yet they are still able to function from day to day... I'm proud that I come from a family with so much strength, I just wish we were closer...