Of Systems and Subsystems

Hello everyone! Welcome to my second post so far on this blog. As I have been in the Family Relations class, I learned a lot of things that I didn't really understand before. I didn't realize how complicated the structure of a family could be, and that was one thing that surprised me a lot during class last Thursday. There is something called Family Systems Theory, and as I learned more about it I became fascinated in this idea. To simplify it, the Family Systems Theory is basically a theory that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Every member of a family has a specific purpose or something to contribute, and it is a lot more complicated than meets the eye. 

To draw a comparison, I really liked the analogy that was used during class, about if we take an air conditioner for example. Or the lights. Each of those systems have multiple parts to it. All of those parts do nothing on their own; but when you connect them all together, they create this wonderful system that is pretty useful for us. And every family system, also have different subsystems inside of them. Like if we were to stick with the A/C analogy, usually when you have an air conditioner you also have a thermostat. That thermostat is another system that exists inside of the overarching system. By itself the thermostat doesn't do anything, but when it is put into perspective of a larger system, than it contributes value towards making the system function. 

This made me think about how there are different subsystems existing inside every family. And not every family is the same. The subsystems that are inside my family are probably pretty different than the ones inside yours. It got me thinking about the different subsystems inside my own family, and how it affects my family overall. My family isn't really a normal, typical family, so it was surprisingly difficult to draw any big conclusions from it. I think there's a specific subsystem between my dad and I, as well as my two parents; but besides that, it got a little difficult. I have four younger siblings, a brother and two sisters. You'd think the sisters would get a long cause they are close in age, but they actually bump heads more often than not. My brother, on the other hand, gets along well with the youngest sibling, and I've been trying to fix my relationship with him a lot. 

I'm very thankful for this time to reflect on what makes a family, and it isn't so cut and dry as some people are led to believe. In fact, they are in actuality, extremely complicated. But that's what makes a family so great. That's what make them what they are. I can't imagine what my family would look like if even one of them were missing. It's as if you were missing just one piece of a puzzle. Does that make it completed? No. If only one piece were missing the puzzle would still be incomplete. And so it is with families, if just one sibling was missing from my family, it still wouldn't feel complete. As I have contemplated, and even prayed about this, I have been given more reassurance and confirmation about why God has put us here in families. They form who we are, and who we will become. It is in families, that we can feel more of God's love in our lives. 

So, with this said, I want to invite all of you to ponder the different subsystems which exist inside your families, and how they all come together to make your family what it is. As I have done this same thing, I have felt further confirmation about why God has put me here with the family that I am with.