Member of a Family 

by Richard Morgan
Conscience Bay Meeting

I have been a convinced Friend for about 7 years. The difference between being an attender and being a member boils down to the difference between watching a movie about a family (a loving, functional, and imperfect one—with equal numbers of roses and thorns—and with a lot of unknowns and uncertainty thrown in for good measure) and being a member of that family. Being a family member, a father/mother/brother/sister/cousin, in-law, or any blood relative or loved one, includes a sense of belonging and identity; a responsibility for taking care of each other in the good and bad times; and acknowledging and accepting each other’s vulnerabilities. In the confusion of our modern world, where the ONLY thing that is constant is change (and growth, which is always optional) being a member helps me through growth that is sometimes vexing, and occasionally painful. Most importantly, as a member I am constantly learning from other Friends by their examples of “what they DO and don’t do”—and learning by what they say and do not say.