Family; an essential part of life Published Oct. 7, 2014 By Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Jamie Danford 94th Airlift Wing Chaplains Office DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- Recently, many of us invited those closest to us to come out and enjoy our wing Family Day. It is impossible to overstate the importance of family. According to Webster's dictionary one definition of family is "A group of people who are related to each other." That is an obvious definition. Family is a glorious thing. It should be there to support, encourage, and help us in times of need. I believe that the importance of family can be seen not only in the positive memories that we have, but also in the negative. Something at our core knows that our family should behave a certain way, and it greatly affects us when they don't. However, another definition of family listed is "A group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation." Following this definition, the Air Force Reserve could be described as a family. We can easily recognize that analogy. We can see many of the same attributes, both positive and negative. Think of the people you work with. In many ways, you know them so well that you can tell when things are wrong, or going well without them saying anything. The time spent around each other, and being part of something together creates a bond. In many ways we truly are a family. As a family, I hope we look for ways to lift each other up in the down times. I hope we recognize when each other are having trouble, or difficulty and step in and offer a friendly hand. I hope we celebrate with each other and protect each other from harm. Family is truly an essential part of life. Hopefully, you had fun this Family Day.
