Carrie Link

THIS IS MY FAMILY

This picture tells a different story - just five years after the "All-American Family" one. This story is a little closer to the truth.

I've had a song stuck in my head for over a week, and one line in particular, "All families are not the same. They’re not just what you see within the picture frame." And maybe that's why I was so struck with the picture of my original family - struck by the fact that it looked great within a picture frame - struck by the story it told, and the story it held.

So yesterday I took Jess out for brunch for her birthday. We started talking about Kate Power and Steve Einhorn, and in they walked. Just like that, we mentioned them, and there they were - within minutes.

Then we walked back to Jess' so she could give me a tutorial of Facebook, and I told her I had this one song, one line, stuck in my head and it wouldn't shake loose.

"Which song?" Jess asked, her cat, Emma Lou purring and shedding in the small space between us on the couch.

"Leela and Ellie Grace's song, 'This is My Family,'" I answered.

"You mean this one?" she asked, simultaneously clicking her computer over to her recently uploaded photos and videos.

And there, right in front of me, was this video of THAT song, THAT artist, playing in MY house in Sisters! (That's Rose Polenzani tapping her toe and seen briefly.)

To make the story even more interesting, Leela Grace was not "supposed" to be at my house. Jess ran into her and she was camping out because the town was all full up - Jess, being the generous spirit that she is, invited her over.

So she could sing that song.

So she could reach across the ethers and deliver a message.

And it could be carried on.

And we could all remember that the definition of "family" is forever evolving - but always means the same thing.

love.



This Is My Family
Leela Grace

This is my family
All families are not the same
They’re not just what you see within the picture frame
It is the day to day
It is the way we feel
It is the words we say that make something real

[chorus] This is my family
We live within these walls
They do not look like me but I don’t care at all
And this is my lover’s loom
Where she weaves the love
That fills up all the rooms and covers all of us

This is my family
It does not look like yours
But we’re not the enemy
Why do you wage these wars?
For we are bound by soul
And we live by heart
Now why is it your goal to tear us apart?
[chorus]

The laws don’t make our ties
It’s not by blood we’re bound
But it’s in love we rise
This is the home we’ve found

[last chorus] This is my family
We live within these walls
They do not look like me but I don’t care at all
And this is my daughter’s loom
Where she weaves the love
That fills up all the rooms and covers all of us

(© 2004 Leela Grace, BMI)