Family, say it slowly with me, family. It’s a word and a half word. It rolls off of the tongue easily, yet leaves an after-taste that is both sweet and bitter. It is the common denominator that defines us. We all have one. We’re all linked by birth to at least two others. We spend our lives running to and running from the safety or confines of this uniquely social phenomenon. We live and die for those to whom we are connected within this format. No one is excluded from this formula, not even in death, as we are all related within this family of man. Meet Tina Lopez who learns early in her young life how large a family can become when there is much to offer, when there are gifts to share. How do you stay humble when you have what no other has? Then Ethan Kelly who will journey far to discover what he has always known. And KC Littleton who proofs the old adage, “be careful what you wish for.” The path they take on their way into one another’s lives is almost too fantastic for fiction, but then remember, I said almost. From one coast to the other, to the far side of the globe, the experiences chronicled within these pages will tug hard at your heartstrings.You may come away from this story with a new appreciation for the three ‘F’s,’ faith, forgiveness, and family. In the end, I hope that you feel compelled to pick up the phone and call someone near and dear, just to say you were thinking of them. Share a quiet, or not so quiet moment. Talk to mom or dad, brother or sister, son or daughter, reconnect, re-enforce, and reassure. The things that we collect in life can be bought or sold. It’s the people in our lives who are the treasures kept safely stored in our heart of hearts.family.