Spring break is finally here! Eight weeks of exams, papers, club meetings, and a whole slew of miscellaneous activities have finally subsided! Now I’m home, on my comfortable bed, in the immediate vicinity of my family. Life is good.
When I arrived home yesterday, it didn’t take long before I felt welcome. The car had barely stopped before I spotted my mom running toward it (in the pouring rain, nonetheless) with a giant smile on her face. It was a warm welcome and the perfect ending to a three-hour car ride. Hugging her in the rain was wonderful. Finally, I was home 
My brother and dad greeted me in the house. It was great to see them both and we started catching up almost immediately. Before long, it was time to grab some food for dinner. This is when I officially knew I was home. You see, it just wouldn’t be my family if we didn’t find something completely trivial and silly to fuss about. Apparently, there was a magical amount of rice we we’re supposed to take that we were all clearly unaware of. Did tension build? Yes. Was everything fine ten minutes later? Yes. Is it important to love your family for the small, quirky things they do that get on everybody’s nerves? Yes, yes, yes! But let them know how silly they are!
The first full day home has been great. I caught up on some much-needed sleep, played with my brother for a few hours, enjoyed the beautiful weather, had a lovely home-cooked meal (of gargantuan proportion), skyped with my family in Greece, and visited my sister.
I’m excited to spend time with my family members this week and strengthen our bonds. From being away at college, I’ve come to cherish these breaks and this time with loved ones. Like many others, my family is far from perfect, but I am fully aware of how lucky I am to even have a family. Many people do not have one, and many others take theirs for granted. I am fortunate to feel connected to mine, a safe place to share myself fully. It’s humbling to think that on this whole planet, with almost 7 billion people, I can only call a few my “family”. It’s a special, unique bond all on its own, and I’m so grateful to be a part of one.
To show this appreciation, with each interaction I seek to improve my familial relationships. For we will have many close friends in life, but we can only ever have one mother and father, and maybe some sisters and brothers. Our relationships with them are invaluable. And if rare things are important, and if rare things are valuable, then our families are the rarest and most valuable of our assets, because we only have one. Make the most of it!
Spend time with family members. Cherish their existence, be grateful for their presence, hug them excessively, and tell them you love them. Lastly, never let problems, hurt feelings, or past wrongs stop you from doing your part to make a contribution to the family as a whole.
Here’s to a wonderful week at home!
“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” ~Desmond Tutu
Photo by marcos_bh
