Princess Diana once said, "Family is the most important thing in the world" and I seem to keep having experiences within my family where I see this portrayed. Whether family is considered your friends, your blood relations, or both, they are always the most important thing in the world. The "family oriented" person is by far my favorite attribute about a person.

Over the past few years, my family has come together in more ways than one and it amazes me how much I have witnessed all of us being there for each other and being willing to drop everything to do so. November 8 will be seven years since my grandmom has passed and at the age of 12, this was the first moment I saw how supportive my family really is. Since then I have been so much more aware of it grateful for it. I can only hope the man I marry and my future children have the same family values as my whole family does.

From family drama to family tragedies, we have been there to comfort, laugh, cry, and help build each other and while some of us may get ticked off at one another occasionally, I have never been a part of anything as loving as this family.

Over the past years, I have also been lucky enough to have friends that have acted like family in more ways than one. From those friends that always seem to be able to walk into my house and have no problem striking up a conversation with my immediate family, to the friends at school that have been there in times where I wasn't able to just run away and run home.

Family is considered anyone you can go to and trust, people who give you support in all that you do and are there for you through hard times and celebrating with you through good times. Whether those are your blood relations or trustworthy friends, consider yourself lucky because you will all always be saving one another.