First and foremost, I was blessed to have a mother who has three brothers and a father who has four brothers, so from the get-go, we were inevitably going to have a large family. Now, I understand that a lot of people aren’t as fortunate as myself to have a large family. I definitely understand that sometimes families don’t get along and that maybe you are better on your own, so don’t think that I’m telling you that you you’re in the wrong or you should feel bad if you don’t have a close family. Nonetheless, my mother’s side is mostly Italian and my father’s side is Irish – now you’re starting to understand why I’m so obsessed with my family. Both sides are insanely close, and insanely loud, but here’s just a few things as to why family is the most important blessing.
Cousins are like brothers, sisters, and best friends
No joke, my friends always think it’s weird that when they ask my what I’m doing on a weekend and I say going out with my cousins because it’s one of their birthdays; I get a confused head tilt. I grew up running around with my cousins, playing pretend and spending summers with each other. My girl cousins knew of every crush I had, even back to those Nick Carter and Backstreet Boys days and were there through every heart break, like sisters. My guy cousins always told me to toughen up when I’d get hit with a water balloon or checked a little too hard in street hockey, just like a brother would. If you were younger, you got picked on and if you were older, you picked on the others. Regardless, blood is thicker than water - and even though it’s not direct blood, it’ll always come first.
Holidays are too fun
From Christmas to July 4th, holidays are always going to be filled with laughter, shenanigans, and some type of embarrassment. Whether your uncle had one too many glasses of wine and fell asleep on the couch or you were forced to open presents in front of every person while they chanted at you, you were in for a treat. I’d rather spend July 4th on the beach than spend money to go away with friends because to be honest, that is where traditions are made. You always have margaritas after you shower in the summer, and you always have manicotti at the yearly Christmas gathering. It’s what we look forward to and we definitely wouldn’t miss it for the world.
You always have a support system
When I was little and sick, my grandmother used to call regularly and lose sleep over me not feeling well. When my cousin was stressing over final exams, I gave her words of encouragement. When I need someone to call because I’m having the worst day, it’s always a family member. It might not always be the same family member, but it’s one of them. They cry with you during sad times and laugh with you during the best times. Hell, when you’re running from the cops because you opened a beer and they suspect you’re only 16 (which you were), they’re crouched behind a sand doom with you. Through it all, you have each other.
You’ll never be alone
There are times where you don’t know where your life is going or what to do, but they always have your back. When your parents can’t be there for you, your uncles and aunts step in because you’re family and that’s what family does. You don’t ever feel like you don’t have someone to turn to or a place to go because even if things are going terribly, you always have family to lean on. Even if you don’t talk all the time or only see each other once a year at a family gathering, you’re there for each other through thick and thin.
You may have your differences, argue on occasion, not speak regularly or just never see each other, but no matter what, family comes first. As Nana always said, “If you don’t have family, you don’t have anything.”
