THE SPIRITUAL IMPORTANCE OF A FAMILY The family unit is the most important and primary learning ground for spirits who have incarnated into the material plane of existence from the spirit world. The particular family a spirit is born into, is the ideal place where the spirit (based on their actions or non-actions on ties with others from previous material existences) can expiate and/or make reparation regarding those immediately around them, which provides the spirit the most perfect circumstance for their own personal spiritual growth Once spirits have reached a certain level of development, prior to incarnating, they know what spirits will become their parents and also their children. There is a perfect reason and cause for everything in the universe, so the placement of specific spirits together in the closest of relationships as in a particular family, also has a just and good cause. If each spirit will take advantage of their unique situation in the family, it can provide them maximum spiritual development and evolution for a particular lifetime. The parents have the responsibility to love, nurture (in all aspects), and educate all their children (or others who may be in their direct care) to the best of their abilities. The children in their turn, are to learn from them, and to love and respect their parents. Both parties are together to learn valuable life lessons from each other, some of which may be very painful, but the causes are always just because God is All Love. In the continuation of this process of incarnating spirits in individual families, groups of spirits incarnate as family groups. Each family group constituting an entity unto itself which differs intellectually, socially, spiritually, and morally. All groups of families are at different levels of growth and development in these areas. If a spirit advances more than the group as a whole, it may move into another more advanced group of souls, which will better serve to further its spiritual and moral development. As we all incarnate into the different groups of individual family units, and into groups of families, we evolve in all areas. It is the exercise of our mutual love for each other individually in a family unit, and then in a whole family group, which will help us to develop, evolve, and expand our love, from these individuals, to finally all of humanity. Love for single individuals is restrictive and conditional; many times possessive, sensual, and very material, and although a very important first step, it is a very limited love. But, love which has evolved to the point where it truly encompasses all of humanity, is an unlimited unbounded love, without the imperfect human frailties and tendencies of exclusivity or, of self- interest. So, keeping all the above in mind, we must each strive hard to fulfill our duties and responsibilities of love for those within our own family and within our own family groups; helping and loving each other as best we can (although at times we may experience ungratefulness or even hostility), in order to develop and expand our imperfect human love into a more morally pure, spiritually advanced, and infinite love for all of humanity… for we are all brothers and sisters (all spirits) of the same Creator.                                    Received inspirationally by Yvonne Limoges                                            The Spiritist Society of Florida