Does Family Have a Place in Today's Society?

In today's society it seems that family is playing second fiddle more and more. At one time it was commonplace for people to place their own personal desires on the back burner once they began to raise a family. that seems to be a thing of the past. Now it seems the tide has reversed. More people are putting themselves and their desires before their families.

Elderly family members are left alone or placed in nursing homes. Parents are ignored by teens and adult children. Many younger parents choose to parent at their own convenience, dropping their children off with grandparents or others the rest of the time. What is happening to the family structure? Family members simply don't have time for each other. In fact some relatives act like it is a bother or burden to receive a phone call or visit from another family member. It seems as if they can't take time from their busy schedules to give a few moments to a family member.

It has always bothered me that when a person passes away relatives come out of the woodwork akin to someone winning the lottery. For example, when my husband passed away there were people there I had never met or even heard of. In all the years my husband and I were married he never mentioned or talked about those individuals. They never once called, came to visit or even sent a card during the holiday season. I had no clue who they were yet there they were at my husband's funeral acting as if time never missed a beat along the path of family relationships. I've often wondered why people tend to think it is acceptable to go for years without having any contact with a family member then suddenly show up out of the blue once that person passes on. Do they honestly think their appearance at such a time of grief makes up for years of not being there?