Family – the most important school in character formation – Editorial Radu Blendarencu

I once asked our eldest son where he felt best. His answer was as simple as it was deep and clear: “in our family.” He can’t wait, he says, for us all to be at home, as a family. For many, however, the family no longer has the value given by God. The family is that source of love, respect, and the true school in character formation. Only in the family do you learn to be human, to truly love. This truth was confirmed by our Lord Jesus Christ, because He said that the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself, and such love is taught only in the family.

Also, only in a family can you learn to be patient in critical situations and to have the courage to face injustice. Your family also teaches you to suffer and rejoice with others, because in a true family, if someone is in trouble, these troubles become everyone’s, they are divided into appropriate measures for all family members and thus you go through trials much easier, because you know you have someone at home who will always support and help you. Here you know that even if you try and do not get any results, you will be praised at home, in the family, where your efforts are known and appreciated. You also know that there is only one place in the whole universe where you are accepted without conditions, anytime and any way you would be. You know that in that place, there, you are protected from all the evils of this world. This place will always be family.

The family contributes to the formation of the character, that’s why no one there will be ashamed to make an observation or reprimand you, thus helping you to form your character. But often children and even adults do not understand the importance of a healthy family and do not appreciate it for its true value. They do not understand that only from a healthy family will grow another healthy family, because children will follow the example of their parents, and thus we can contribute to the growth of a future generation that is spiritually healthy. But because of a broken family, society degrades and influences the destiny of other people, who could have lived a better life. Many people believe that only material satisfactions can make a family happy. It’s true, we need them, but they are not the factor that can bring balance and harmony in a family. The formative years we call “7 years at home” are not measured in square meters of the house and the way it is decorated, but in the quality time spent with the wife and children that God has given you.

A strong society is closely linked to healthy families. If we do a simple research, we will see that the family in the Republic of Moldova is in a continuous decline. Many, many families have fallen into the trap of the pursuit of money, to the detriment of the education of their children, and it happened exactly as Paul warned Timothy in Holy Scripture: “For the love of money is the root of all evil; and some, when they had gone after it, had gone astray from the faith, and were afflicted with many afflictions.” That is why we have many young people raised with money, but without parental love. And my fear is that few of them will know how to start a sustainable family.

But I still believe in revitalizing the family institution in our country. For this it must be clearly protected and promoted, and here a primary role belongs to the church, to the spiritual leaders and, last but not least, to each of us who love this country. The biggest investment in our country is the wise and qualitative investment in building a strong family.

This is where it all begins!

Translated by Didina Vicliuc