Ohana Means Family

It was Grandparents' Day at Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School this past Thursday. For my Grandma and Grandpa, they were fortunate enough to be able to experience Poetry Class with Mrs. Lewis. Our mission: to write a poem about family. Piece of cake, right? Most definitely not.

How can one person sum up what family means to them in a poem? To express so much in so few lines just seems impossible. Every family has its qualities, its flaws, its quirks, but what brings everything together is this undeniable bond that just can't be explained in words.

..........Or can it?

As I was sitting in class with my grandparents, I began to think of the movie, Lilo and Stitch. It's such a heart-warming Disney movie,

one that brings tears to my eyes everytime I watch it. It's a great example of something showing the meaning of family.

It's a movie about an older sister, Nani, who needs to take care of her younger sister, Lilo, after the death of their parents. Lilo is bullied at school and has no one to talk to. Her sister lets her adopt a dog, Stitch, who is actually a scientific experiment, one that others are trying to capture. The three of them form an inseparable bond. Nani's ability to care for Lilo is questioned by social workers, but because of their bond, they stay together and remain a family.

There's one line in the movie that is really powerful. It exemplifies the true meaning of family.

Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.

So after remembering this quote, writing my poem about my family became a lot easier. Family means that someone is always going to be there for you, no matter the circumstance. You're always going to have a shoulder to cry on, people to talk to, people to jump for joy with, and people to love. Through the good and the bad, you're always going to have someone by your side. Family is what matters. Family is what's important. Leave it to Disney movies to make you feel this way :) It's doesn't get any better than that. Go home tonight, hug the person you love or call them on the phone. Remember, they'll always be there for us no matter the distance, no matter if they're with us or up above. Family will never escape us. Until we meet again, xoxo Brunette