Family is a single word, with many different meanings. People have many different ways of defining a family and what being part of a family means to them. When i looked up the definition of a family online, it said “A fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.” This definition is wrong in my mind because there are other family structures excluded by this statement. In the excerpt Stone Soup by Barbara Kingsolver, she also expresses family and it’s true meaning to her. Barbara says, “Divorce, remarriage, single parenthood, gay parents, and blended families simply are. They’re facts of our time.” This quote proves that there is no perfect family. It proves that out of all the possible family structures people have, none are wrong. She also states,”To judge a family by it’s tidy symmetry is to purchase a book for it’s cover.” This shows her belief that no family should be judged. It shows that she believes that a family is a family, no matter the size, or differences it has to the so called “traditional family.”

In the book A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith, family is a big factor throughout the whole book. The Nolan Family went through hard times, but stuck together as a family through it all. Katie Nolan was an extremely good mother to her children. Smith states, “I want him to be a doctor. He must be a doctor." A big part of a family is always pushing each other to do better, and work their way up to success. This quote really shows how much Katie cared and wanted to push her children to have a better life in the future. She believes in Neeley and knows that if he puts his mind to it, he can accomplish the difficult task of becoming a doctor. Your family should encourage you to aim high and help you get there. Also, A Tree grows in Brooklyn expresses true family when Katie states, “No I will make this baby live.” She is saying that even though she knows how weak and tiny Francie was when she was born, she is never going to give up on her. She is going to fight to keep her baby alive because she is her baby and she loves her. In A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Stone Soup, true signs of family and what family is all about are shown thoughout each reading.

Alexa Palmisano

10/1/15

Period 4

Sacredness of the Ordinary

The most beautiful things can be found in the most ordinary places. When I was born, my grandmother knit me a blanket. To many it probably just looks like it is old, worn out and worthless. To me it is the opposite of that. It is small, light green, and extremely soft. It may be old, but it is worn out for good reasons only. To this day, every night I’ve sleep with it beside me in my bed. When I was little I remember carrying it around with me wherever I went. Vacations, sleepovers, and just about anywhere that was away from home, you’d see me dragging it along behind me. I felt the need to bring it everywhere because I became so attached to it at such an early age. My grandmother knit not only mine, but both of my sisters’ blankets too. Also, all of my cousins have a blanket of hers, and each time a new baby is born in my family, she knits one for them to keep as well. They all love their blankets just as much as I love mine. Each blanket is similar but different in it’s own special way.

I can’t even begin to explain how special my blanket is to me. I’ve had it my whole life and will  never let it go. It is so important to me mainly because one of the most amazing and special people in my life handmade it for me out of love. Knowing that one day I will have to live without my grandmother beside me is one of the most heart breaking thoughts ever, but this blanket will forever be a reminder of her and the love we shared.

My blanket is one of the most meaningful objects in my life, and it will be forever. Other people may not fully understand why it is so important to me, but I do. The amount of love and memories knitted into this little blanket will always remind me of my childhood and grandmother. True beauty comes from within. No matter how ragged and dirty it may look on the outside, the memories it holds are beyond beautiful.

Everyone has something that is special and means a lot to them in their life, and for me it is this blanket. It has been in my life since the day I was born, and I will continue to cherish it until the day I die.