Family and families are important. They are different for all of us.
They are a fundamental building block of society where the young find their identity, the old receive care, the generations meet together, the sick are supported and there is a commitment to mutual flourishing.
Yes, at times they can be dysfunctional and even deeply damaging. It is always salutary to remember that since Cain murdered Abel families are the locus of much violence and abuse.
However, we must never let the challenges of being family blot out their potential and promise.
During these testing Covid 19 times, however, it can sound as if we are more concerned about who can drink with whom in a pub or use the gym, than whether or not we are celebrating families.
There are, of course, really difficult issues about cross generational meeting, especially where parents or grandparents are in care.
The need to protect those who are vulnerable in health terms can apply to all ages.
There must be limits to family gatherings – as much as I would like to meet up with our extended family that is not reasonable.
But doing what we can to affirm family life, to value the contribution of grandparents, to enable meetings of siblings and parents needs more attention.
The ‘rule of six’ is fine but does that really mean that my wife and I have to decide who is left out from our three children and two partners.
Ultimately this is not about the detail of regulations, although they need to be worked out.
It is about a celebration of family that recognises that strong and supported family life will help us through these challenges, not diminish our capacity.
More than that as we enter ever more difficult economic times with rising unemployment, increased household need and real hardship for people, we need stronger family life, not weaker.
Whilst the state can provide essential funds (and it needs to do so), it can’t supply that necessary love and mutual support.
All too often the real and complex questions about family life (there is no one model) means that policy makers tend to shy away from speaking about it.
That helps no-one. Celebrating our families, with good support where there is family breakdown, is good for us and good for society, especially during a Pandemic.
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