Whether it be a group, a club, or a secret society, there is the need and desire to “belong”.  Of course those are organizations we choose to “belong” too.  We don’t choose our families.  In that aspect, DJ loved his brothers and sister.  He would talk about them constantly, looked up to them, wanted to do everything they could do, and be like them.  He wanted to play video games like Daniel, listen to music like Mikey, read books like Chris, and have Mary’s incredible fashion sense.  While genetically, they were only half related to him, you would never know it.  He wasn’t treated any different (other than being called “the baby” for a few years longer than maybe he should have… but hey, he was) than any of the others.  He never had any idea that they were anything but his brothers and his sister.

It’s no big secret that there were often times when after working a night on the streets I would “watch the wolves”, but in reality… it was more them watching me sleep on the couch.  Covering me with a blanket, putting my half drunk ice coffee in the fridge, and tucking each other in while I snored.  On the nights I would be awake, after tucking them in, I would always smile listening from behind the door at their hushed conversations.  I don’t think they realize it… but they live a slumber party.  Being family is fun.

If we’re one of the lucky ones, in the face of crisis, our family will come together to support us.  I’m one of the lucky ones.