Article September 19, 2016 Issue

A spiritual foundation for family life

Heidi K. Van Patten

My family plays a fun game on camping trips. Once we’ve settled into our tent for the night, one of us begins telling a story. It usually has a setting, some characters, and a basic plot. After a few minutes, the first storyteller says, “And then ….” And then the next person picks up telling the story where the first storyteller left off, adding his or her own twists and turns.

This goes on until everyone in the family has had several turns to speak, and the story has gone around the tent several times and changed significantly from where it started. It always causes us lots of laughter, and it’s especially fun because it isn’t just one person’s story, but it’s a story that belongs to everyone in the family.

I think that game is a little bit like family dynamics because in every family, each individual contributes in some way to the overall “story.” Of course, when that “story” is a game like the one my family plays on camping trips, it’s easy to let everyone have a turn and to laugh joyfully about the individual interpretations and changes to the story. But in everyday life, maintaining harmonious family dynamics and letting everyone “have a turn” can be more of a challenge, especially if the family story might seem to change dramatically. That’s why a strong spiritual foundation is key to having and maintaining a happy family life.

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