The Sum of the Parts is Greater than the Whole

Yes, I know what you’re thinking….

“That’s not what Aristotle said, Jess!”

You’re right!? It’s not!

But I see so many posts about how we’re all “more than…”

?

More than our gender

More than our diagnoses

More than our age

More than our heritage

More than our job title

More than our income

More than our mistakes

More than our qualifications

More than our experiences

?

We are what we are because of where we came from so each of these ?? things makes up a ‘part’ of us.

Each ‘part’ is equally important to making us, us.? If we didn’t have our own unique experiences, strengths, weaknesses, interests, likes and dislikes, we’d not be the fascinating and fabulous individuals we are.

When we’re talking about families, each ‘part’ is a person.

Each person plays at least one role in that family:

Parents are parents, but they’re also adults, partners, lovers, sons, daughters, siblings, aunties, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, employees / employers, managers, friends, etc.

Each role brings with it its own set of rules and expectations between which we switch seamlessly.

That’s pretty impressive!

It’s also pretty exhausting….?

Especially now, with our 21st century expectations and entitlements, the world doesn’t stop.? We’re switching between lots of roles in lots of systems, endlessly and with fewer and fewer boundaries.?

Case in point: Are you scrolling LinkedIn right now for business or pleasure?! ??

As a systemic practitioner, I’ve been trained to see the sum of the parts as greater than the whole…?

To see each individual ‘part’ of the family system as no more or less imperative to the ongoing smooth functioning of the system than any other ‘part’.

When all the ‘parts’ are functioning together harmoniously, the ‘whole’ is the most incredible thing…

A family.

So yes, we are all ‘more than’, but each of those things we’re ‘more than’ is an equally important ‘part’ of us.

And the ‘whole’ us, is an incredibly important ‘part’ of our own family system.? Removal of any ‘part’ of a family system will change how the family functions so (mostly!) the sum of the parts is greater than the whole.

Aristotle who?! ????????

*All ‘parts’ in any system need maintenance. You’d not think twice about getting your car’s parts serviced, but when was the last time you thought about the maintenance of the ‘parts’ of your family? If the ‘whole’ isn’t working as you’d like, think about which ‘parts’ might need attention then get in touch with us at JLTS Family Services and we’ll work out a maintenance schedule! ??