Like Diamonds.

You don't want to make an enemy of a family member, but you can't please all of them, all of the time ( no one can ) so be timid ?

Remember- your mother and father won't be around forever. If they pass on, whilst you have truck with them, you'll regret not making peace with them, while they were alive.

If you get caught up in things and you feel like the carpet is being pulled out under your feet, take a step backward, count to ten and chill out or relax. Do something you like doing. I put on an Abba CD.

Forever it seems, I have been telling social workers, my family consists of my Dad and three sisters.

(my mum died when I was 18) But in reality, I have two sets of uncles and aunties, six cousins, all who have countless children, all of whom I haven't been in contact with for over 20 years.

I haven't ignored them, or I haven't forgotten them, it's just we haven't been in contact.

So, stalemate, you could say. And yes, it makes me mad ! It makes me so mad, I could jump up and down with rage, and get quite gloomy and despondent.

But things do change, in wider reality – the INTERNET and freedom of information, comic relief from Kibera, Kenya. Same sex couples allowed to marry and have kids – no longer taboo, no longer in the shadows.

With this in mind, a simple letter from a long lost relative doesn't seem like like such a big or bad thing.

Remember, your family are really the people you choose to be your family, be it birth mother or adoptive mother. Those who you can trust, who bring out the best in you, and give you confidence.

Those people who are your friends, and those who mold your life in a good way; like a role model or mentor. Who put their life up for looking after and caring others. Who teach you how to cope with life and life's lessons. Those rare people are like diamonds.