Traditional relationships are not the norm anymore. Children today come from all types of homes with all kinds of people. It is not typical for a child to be surrounded by blood relatives and much more normal for children today to be cared for by a variety of rotating people. Parents, siblings, childcare providers, friends and relatives are not as well defined or consistent as they used to be. Kids today come from a variety of ever changing backgrounds. It’s a fascinating world out there.
Oprah Winfrey is a prime example of someone who defines relationships according to her own heart. She is not married yet in a long term relationship. Her friend and partner Stedman Graham is rarely spoken about or seen in public. Oprah offers no explanation and gives no apology for her lack of tradition in declining to be married. She does not hesitate to pronounce her love for Stedman. Stedman is a gracious man, recently demonstrated by his heartfelt tribute to Oprah in her grand finale show. His book You Can Make It Happen clearly identifies him as the man that sparks the magic. He is the underground hidden master while Oprah is a type of Diva or Goddess to many. Her ability to define her own relationship to her audience, the many issues in the world today, and the special people in her life has enabled her to find herself. People can relate to her and feel empowered in her presence.
Even traditional fundamentalists do not complain about Oprah’s personal relationship being out of wedlock. People respect Stedman. Stedman was ahead of his time writing and teaching powerful concepts that have clearly influenced Oprah’s core values. “Your spiritual well –being begins with you but it does not end there. It runs much deeper into the realm of how you relate to others; respond to others, and what you bring into the lives of others. It is a connection between your public persona and your innermost thoughts on what matters most in your life.”
Relationships are changing and have changed. The traditional model is one option but not the most popular. People have varied lifestyles, hobbies, opinions, knowledge and reasons for living. When it comes to relationships, we are all in new territory. Communication is more important than ever. The more we embrace people the more variety of relationships we will be exposed to. Exposure to others lives is the beginning of understanding the people and culture we live in and ultimately ourselves.
There are all kinds of people experiencing all kinds of extraordinary things in both traditional and non traditional ways. The important things in life, things like love and respect, are not limited to cultural beliefs. The new generation is open to a greater diversity of lifestyles and relationships. There is no turning back now. Learning to love people as they are sparks creativity in the heart of the individual which makes for a really cool culture.
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