Families can be wonderful. They can be the motivator for continuing on when life seems too hard. However, there can also be times when we let family become our problem. The holidays such as the 4th of July often bring families together. How we interact as extended families during these holidays can often tell descriptive stories about what our relationships really are like. Do we float around the superficial? Do we become the expert on what the rest of our family members should be doing in their lives? Or do we truly cherish the time together? If we are honest with ourselves we can identify what we can and should do to improve our family relationships. These relationships can be, if we let them, the great motivator for life. I hope we can all look beyond the flaws and focus on the positives. Life is too short to be hung up on past hurts and annoyances – especially in families. Let’s heal those rifts and make the holiday celebrations worth remembering.