The Family: A Lifesaver in Life’s Stormy Sea. The words of British author J.K. Rowling come to mind more often these days, particularly in these times filled with unpredictable events. As we annually celebrate Family Day this May, I wonder: what is today’s family really like? How has its structure and purpose evolved over time? Not so long ago, families were significantly larger than our modern ones. They consisted not only of parents and children but also grandparents, aunts, uncles, and maintained many traditions that are either nonexistent today or are extremely rare. The patriarch sat in an honorable seat. Children had their own little responsibilities, contributing to the well-being of everyone. Families remembered their departed loved ones with dignity. During major holidays, the family circle expanded, and even animals received gifts. Families emerged from their privacy and opened their doors to the poor. Those who were less fortunate in having their own families received sustenance on their doorstep.
Nowadays (to the detriment of all), the number of so-called single households is on the rise. Self-assured self-sufficiency is admirable and praiseworthy, but it primarily applies during times of peace and prosperity. Things are different during times of war and pandemic, which threaten the world. This situation likely won’t improve anytime soon. The need to economize, the fear of losing jobs, will impact the lives of most families, and it’s the vulnerable members – children, seniors, and the sick – who will suffer the most. It will depend on how strong each family’s internal safety net is and how well they can take care of their members.
The economic consequences will be harsh. Although people will continue to work diligently, they will be able to afford less and enjoy less with their hard-earned money. They will have fewer cultural and sporting experiences, less of everything. Savings will be eroded by inflation, and then the first winter will bring astronomical energy costs. No more squandering money on frivolities.
How many families will have their lives significantly altered by these changes? How many will have to choose between warmth and food? Even before COVID-19, during the golden age of abundance, many families struggled to pay for their children’s school lunches. Now, their numbers have skyrocketed. How many new families will fall into this plight?
It’s said that the least visible phenomena are those that last a long time. It’s not just about the melting of glaciers. Weight loss and the accompanying anxiety are slow-developing problems that gradually increase the pressure on society. There’s no simple cure for high inflation and the bombarded Ukrainian cities. The only thing we can do is support people’s mental well-being and help those who don’t understand what’s happening around them and can’t change anything about it. This includes children. We need to patiently explain to them, more often than before, that today’s world is not exceptional. It’s not the end of the planet. It’s just that the wheel of history has turned, and we must pass through a challenging period to return to better years. In this, the role of the family is and will remain irreplaceable. This function of the family has not changed throughout history. It can shift needs between family members, not just material needs, but also needs for love, security, and certainty.
The family is a place without which children cannot exist. They embark on exploratory missions from there, returning to draw strength. During difficult times, the family is often the only certainty children can rely on and where they can seek refuge.
I come from a family that is large and quite complex by nowadays’ standards. But I’m happy that it’s just that way. Everyone has their place in it. In these challenging times, I try to spend as much time as possible with my children, to talk to them. Not necessarily about war or difficulties, but rather about what they’re experiencing, what they enjoy or find troubling. To show them what love means within the family. They need to know what the main purpose of life is when there are things happening outside the family’s control. This is the knowledge they will need most in the coming months and years.
Protect your family as well; it’s a lifesaver that’s good to have on your life’s boat at all times.
Ivana Tykač,
