Week 2: The Cytoskeleton

Something that was interesting this week that I learned in class was about boundaries.

If you don't know anything about boundaries, then here are some of the basics:

Rigid Boundaries are boundaries which are solid, and not often crossed. These kinds of boundaries are characterized by a lack of relationship, where there aren't warm feelings exchanged between family members. They don't connect on a deeper level other than knowing each other's names.

Overly Permeable Boundaries are boundaries which are constantly violated by either one person to another, or between both people. I have seen these types of boundaries in my own families, and they are not healthy at all. The constant violation causes mistrust, resentment, and anger.

The Permeable Boundaries are the healthiest boundaries, where there is mutual respect on both sides of the relationship, and the rules are kept consistently. This provides trust and appreciation of those family members and makes for great relationships.

There are also Rigid boundaries, where there is little warmth or affection shown in the relationship, and there is minimal interaction. This is also an unhealthy relationship, because there isn’t and depth or mutual respect either.

It was interesting in class how the point was brought up that there needs to be roles filled in families that perhaps include one of the unhealthy relationships, in order for the family to function.

From a biology perspective, I could see the family as being a nucleus, which was held together by a cytoskeleton. This cytoskeleton gives the shell its shape, and keeps the walls from caving in. But the think about the cytoskeleton, is that it also allows flexibility in that the skeleton will change and allow for the cell to grow or fit in a particular spot. That is exactly what boundaries do. They provide a framework for the functioning of the family to keep them together, but allow for flexibility as those rules change and the family progresses with changes which occur. I have seen this in my own family, and in extended families, and such. Boundaries and rules which shift and change over time, and some that never change. Healthy and unhealthy boundaries are very apparent, but always keep the family functioning one way or another.