First, what is a “funky family”? The dictionary definitions to “funky” that most closely describe this family are unconventional, eccentric, emotional, and informal.

Let’s learn some more about this interesting family made up of different types of animals that grew up in the wild in less than ideal circumstances, and without much training or supervision, but learned the term resilience through their experiences. Each of these animals had unique personalities and gifts, and were chosen to be placed in this family by their awesome Creator.

The firstborn, Kathleen Kangaroo, ended up being the matriarch of the most prolific children. Caring for little ones seemed quite natural for her and for most of her family. [One of her children or grandchildren are always pregnant, and they always have a joey being carried around in their pouch]. Like other kangaroos, she was a good jumper, and even did aerobics up until delivery with one of her little ones. Kathleen was the most docile (submissive, obedient, and easy to get along with), and somewhat quiet and shy when she was young.

Molly Monkey was the second-born. After her elevator operator experience, she loved going up and down in the trees chattering away, sharing some news, or a joke. She was quite good-natured, a little loud at times, and for a while loved to do hairstyles for the other animals. A monkey’s nose is usually one of their distinguishing features. For Molly, the main time you noticed her nose was when she wasn’t telling the truth.

Next, we have Corina Canary. She was a dreamer, a reader, and a fighter. Just like small dogs sometimes have to act more ferocious, she could be quite strong-willed in spirit, in spite of her small physical body and health problems. Whether defending herself or others, she proved herself to be quite strong, and I’ll bet that she is one canary that would stay that way, even if placed in a mine to check the oxygen level (as was the practice years ago).

Since Leonard the Lion was the first male born into this family, he was somewhat spoiled by everyone (except his father). He was very intelligent, but not always wise. He claimed that he was King of the Beasts and sometimes bullied the other animals to try and prove it. A male lion is often a loner or a fighter.  Male lions don’t usually live as long as female ones (and he may not either if he doesn’t stop his smoking.) He’s a lot of fun to be around, because he can be hilariously funny with his jokes, his puns, or his crazy antics. He was an aspiring writer; in this pandemic, he’s “essential” as a city bus driver; and he’s also an obsessed golfer (so if you see any lions at the golf course, tell him hello from me).

Next was Becka Bear. She was sometimes criticized and misunderstood, but she was really quite a tame bear. She generally thought of herself as a Teddy Bear, that just wanted to be loved and hugged, and stand up for the underdog. (However, when she became a mother, like most bears, she could become aggressive if anything got between her and her cubs.) She loved not only being a teacher to her own children, but also a school teacher to other little animals. She traveled the most, and the farthest away from the wild in which she was raised. Although she was mostly a vegetarian healthnut, she did enjoy a good salmon now and then. Their mother once called her a “seeker and thinker” (which seemed quite accurate, and pleased her very much).

Then, there was Jeremy Jaguar. This wild cat struggled physically and emotionally through much of his life, but through those difficult experiences, he grew stronger, more compassionate, and quite pleasant. All true cats are from the Felidae family, and are very playful. In Latin, the word “felix” means “happy”, and this short and stocky, good-looking cat ended up being a favorite uncle to many of his nieces and nephews, because of his fun personality.

Last, but not least, was Stanley the Squirrel, the “baby” of the family, who had been a little spoiled by the rest of his siblings. His size and shape helped him to climb trees, cliffs, and other things very easily like most squirrels. He was adventurous and daring, a good leader and a good hunter. This outdoor, industrious creature has had a unique variety of jobs and experiences that have helped him mature and recover from some of his early spoiling.

So now, we have covered a bit about each member of this fun, funky, and (dis)functional family. Even though many of them have moved away from where they grew up, they still have a special relationship with each other, because of the common experiences they shared growing up in the wild. This unique group of animals are actually family, and more than family! They are also friends that encourage one another, help one another out when there is a problem or a special need, laugh and cry with one another, agree to disagree, sometimes even argue or get upset with one another, but also forgive one another. When they get together (even when it is only once or twice a year for a couple of them), they quickly get reacquainted, and have a funky, family time.