The curse is malice given persistence — the ill-wish that outlives its utterance and shadows generations. Family curses name patterns inherited as fate; breaking one, the pattern's spell ended by naming; feeling cursed, misfortune read as authored.
Positive Resonance
The pattern named and breakable, the spell's terms found
Shadow Aspect
Misfortune authored in the mind, the inheritance read as hex
Nuances
The family curse: the pattern felt as fate
Breaking it: the spell ended by its terms
Cursed or coincidence: misfortune's authorship questioned
The curse returned: malice arcing back to its sender