Hello! Good evening steemians! I hope that you had a great day today.
Like it or not, we have to deal with the relatives we have, not the relatives we would like to have. Most families have one or more black sheep, whom the rest of the clan would disinherite if they would. It used to be that families were very extensive, with dozens of cousins, aunts, and uncles: a person needed a program just to keep track of them all.
Some of my cousins are in the "my best friends " category. We all live near each other and have spent our lives in close contact. Just because two people are closely related does not mean they are close. Their personalities may clash, they may have quite different interests or opinions on sensitive issues. On the other hand, people usually choose their friends on the basis of compatibility and shared concerns.
The most important relatives in my life, of course, is my father and mother. Without them, I wouldn't even be here! They spent many years and a lot of money taking care of me and teaching me how to be the person I am, and they endured many sacrifices on my behalf.
Friends may come and go, but our relatives are always with us. They provide most of the continuity we enjoy throughout our weird lives. Even when relatives fight, they still understand one another, but when friends fight they become mortal enemies.