This footnote is the result of a challenge from some friends who found the term "Logical Family" obscure, and the link to Armistead Maupin's classic book as listed for sale on the Powell's Books website unhelpful. So, I need to enlarge on it and regroup a little, especially now that I've re-read his explanation on page 2.
"Sooner or later, though, no matter where in the world we live, we must join the diaspora, venturing beyond our biological family to find our logical one, the one that actually makes sense for us. We have to, if we are to live without squandering our lives."
Maupin is, of course, famously gay, and he grew up in a rigidly conservative southern family. While he was never disowned, he certainly wasn't owned by his family, either. Finding other communities that could provide a true family feeling was beyond critical for him. And for many non heteronrmative people of his generation the need was greater than his, or absolute, since a lack of a non-biological logical family would have meant no family at all.
Not my case! I grew up in a loving family that truly accepted me in every way. I didn't grow up to be gay, but I'm sure my parents would have accepted, loved, and supported me if that had been part of who I was. And welcomed any boy I'd brought home to meet them.
But, that doesn't mean I don't need logical family to complement the family I was born into. I want a lot of close friends and amazing people in my life, and I have them. I've held on to them and worked at keeping the connections live and fresh. My first group of high school friends, those that I recently spent such a wonderful time with in France and Italy. My university friends in Santa Cruz, California, my Foreign Service colleagues (the nice, sharp, funny ones, at least) and the universe of people who came into my life through Julee, and, (Hopefully! Work in progress...) the new friends from Gloucester Massachusetts. I am so lucky and happy to know them, to count on them, and to be counted on.