This is probably a result of having grown up in a very close knit family in a small town in central New York State. Of course, the definition I've learned for family is a bit broader than just genetics. That too comes from the attitude of my own immediate family. Exclusion was never the policy in our house or at our table. The number of nights that places got added around the dinner table in mid-meal because somebody happened to show up are legion. And it was just as likely that an offer of a place to stay the night would follow (and frequently be accepted with a quick juggling of accommodations). So, as a result, there are a good number of people who are neither related to me genetically or by marriage who still comprise a significant portion of my "Family".