For those of that are not blessed with a large extended family, it is important to cultivate close friendships with other families. These are the people who are not related to us by blood, but care for us as if they were. In the world that we live in today when there are so many obstacles we must face, it makes sense to form a group of supportive people to surround yourself with. When the chips are down, these are the people that you can count on.