The power of relationships

We come into this world untouched by any influences from others. Although our genetics and biological factors do affect our overall development, relationships we share with others also help mold us into the person we become. In our early childhood stage of development the bonds we have with others have a significant impact. This is because we are still forming who we are and the nurture we receive reinforcement certain behaviors and instills values within us. The concept of relationships influencing our growth, reminds me a lot of the “Nature v. Nurture� debate. In my own life I’ve developed and matured as a result of several diverse relationships I’ve had with others.
Growing up, I lived with my mom, dad, and older sister. Each one of them has in a sense made me who I am. While growing up, my mother showed by her actions that she valued my education a great deal. She would ask me about what I was doing in school, come in to volunteer for my classes, and reward me when I got good grades. This affected the way I developed by causing me to value education. My mother is also very sassy and upfront. Being nurtured by her caused me to become a sassy person, but this personality trait made it possible for me to always stick up for myself and not allow people to walk over me. My father is the type of person who is non-confrontational and gets along with everyone. He is also outgoing, silly, and a hard worker. These characteristics are ones that I have developed also as a result of the relationship we share. My sister is a very sensitive, argumentative individual. Sharing a relationship with her has allowed me to become a patient person, and one who would rather resolve problems versus escalate them. Also, seeing her struggle with feeling accepted and helped me to develop into a person that is empathetic of others’ feelings and situations and she taught me not to ever judge people. The relationships I shared with my immediate family, the nurture I received, had a large influence on the person I am today.
It’s interesting to me to look at the parallel between the closeness of relationships and their affect of self-development. Though me and my mother have a closer relationship then me and my father, I see a lot more of my father’s personality in me than my mother’s. For my sister, she and my father are closer to one another yet she is much more similar personality wise, to my mother. It’s also fascinating to compare my sister and I to see how different we are, although we were raised in the same household. This could be when nature steps in and interacts with the nurturing part of our development or it could possibly be the other relationships we had outside of our home.
Ever since I can remember, I had close relationships with people who were unlike my family and I think this really influenced my development. One of my friend’s mothers growing up was like a second mother to me. We would bake with her, go to her job on the weekends, and every week we’d be at the Laundromat helping wash. She was a very affectionate woman who always gave us hugs and this was something unknown to me because my family was completely opposite. She helped develop me in to a more openly loving person. She also gave me tools to develop into a more independent person by inviting me to be apart of everyday chores. This is one of the many people outside my family who impacted my development.
Through the years I was involved in different youth programs, I had several teachers, I was close with my friends families, and shared several other relationships over my developing stage that helped me mature into who I am today. I think that it’s really important that while a child is in their main stage of development, that they have several positive relationships. In my own experience I feel as though it made me a more diverse person that is able to be in several social worlds and this is a type of power in the world. Relationships are a main component in making us who we are.