Family Systems Project

When thinking about this project I finally came up with the decision that I could relate my family to a tree. This concept may seem simple, but my family is related to a tree in the way that my father would be the roots, my mother would be the trunk, my siblings would be the branches and our kids would be the fruit. 

First I related the tree roots to my father Owen, because he is the foundation to our family. I think the different sections of the roots relate to the different ways my father is a foundation. For example the priesthood power he holds brings our family together.

Next I related my mother, Alisha, to the trunk of a tree. When I first thought of this, I thought this could be related in the way that a tree needs the trunk which is true but I also thought that the tree needs the trunk to be firm in the soil. Which in the gospel we need the priesthood and to be married in the temple to return to our heavenly father. So the roots and the trunk go together in keeping the family in the soil and in keeping the family together. The trunk has the responsibility to raise the children and help the branches and leaves grow.

            The next thing I related to the tree was my siblings and how they would be the branches. When a tree grows the branches work together to help supply nourishment and water from the parents or the trunk and the roots. They work together to make the tree ore full as they bring in spouses and their children as the fruit of the tree. I am the oldest of six children. My 17 year old sister ads a lot of humor to our family; she is always making the mood lighter. My 13-year-old brother is so quiet; he is the one that keeps the peace. My 10-year-old brother has so much energy; he is constantly doing something, he ads spunk to our family. My 9-year-old sister is so sweet; her innocence and pure personality ads to our family because she is always serving others. My youngest brother is 4-years-old and couldn’t be crazier. His love for life and adventurous personality keeps our family laughing and young. The branches also produce leaves as their talents and ways that they help others and the talents they get from not only their mortal parents but their spiritual parents as well. 

The last thing I related to the tree is the fruit, which would be our children. Now no one in our family has kids yet but once we do they will be the new additions to our family. Also I think about it in the way that when the fruit gets old and they fall off the tree or leave the home they plant themselves in the soil and find someone to grow with and in the end create their own tree and family to grow with and expand to better things.

I really enjoyed writing this paper because I was really able to realize how much of an affect we have on each other as a family.