Your siblings and cousins suck. Don’t listen to them.

I’ve been in your position, and had people, at certain points in my life, who changed my life without really doing anything, or realizing it.

We all take bits and pieces of who, and what we interact with in the world. Those bits may be amazingly beautiful, or they may be world shattering. Your bio parents probably were more of the latter, but your ex’s mom might have been someone that set your life in a completely different, and better path, with a word, or a hug, or a shoulder.

I can only speak for myself, but having someone show an ounce of compassion, or empathy can be everything to someone who grew up with a shitty family (whatever that looks like).

That’s where the term “chosen family” comes from.