Preserve the Family

I am one of those who believes deeply in the family. I believe that family needs to be protected and preserved. But what am I doing actively to protect and preserve it? 

First and foremost, I am trying to strengthen the bonds in my own family. This means sitting down and eating dinner together (without phones or other devices) as often as possible. This means doing activities together as a family. Whether it is watching a movie or television show as a family or playing a game together. My family, especially the children, love it when we spend time enjoying an activity together. It is through activities like these that we create opportunities for quality time together. 

Second, it means sharing the values and principles that will preserve the family. I think one challenge today is that the view of marriage has changed.

Marriage is a critical element for the benefit of the next generation. And yet, many people don’t believe marriage is important anymore. They believe that partnership can take the place of marriage. Yet these partnerships typically do not last as long as marriages. 

I believe one way to preserve marriage is to keep intimacy in marriage. Do not allow intimacy outside of marriage. The new social norm of “casual intimacy” seems to go directly against the ideals of marriage. Casual intimacy is an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp. There is nothing casual about intimacy. Intimacy establishes a connection, a feeling of closeness and familiarity. These connections are what tether us to one another. They are the ties that bind people together. Those ties and tethers are what help us through difficult situations and circumstances. I want to be firmly tethered to a safe harbor. Marriage and family is that safe harbor. 

We need to turn away from “casual intimacy” and return to the institution of marriage. We need to preserve and protect the family. We can do this by strengthening the bonds in our own families.