Cousins are such an incredible blessing in our lives that I feel like we don't thank enough. I have cousins in all ages, from their late 20s/early 30s all the way down to toddlers. Since my dad is the youngest of his brothers and my mom is the oldest of her siblings, I have many cousins who are far older than me, many that are around my age, and many that are far younger than me. Yet as I think about it, I have been able to learn things from every single one of my cousins, on both sides of my family.

When I was a little kid, I looked up to the older cousins on my dad's side of the family, and I still do look up to them now. The lasting impressions they made on me, even by those who were only three years older, were those of love and service. I watched as my older cousins who could have very easily have gone and conversed with the adults instead chose to play with my little sister or toss the ball with my younger brother. I always appreciated being able to talk to them and feeling like I was heard and taken seriously despite being many years younger.

On my mom's side, I absolutely love being able to hang out with my little cousins. They are some of the cutest kids I've ever met and I will always love going to see them. When I get to hang out with my younger cousins, I remember how my older cousins treated me when I was the little kid, and I hope that I will be able to make the same impressions that they made on me.

Lastly are the cousins who are my age. I can never do justice to how much I love and appreciate these best friends. No matter how far away they live, I love being able to talk to them and I count down the days until we get to see each other at family reunions. These cousins are the ones who I know I can tell anything to and who I know will be by my side for the rest of my life. Having cousins who are also your best friends is such an incredible blessing; it gives you a constant in your life that you know will always be there. I know my cousins will always be there for me, and the time we spend together is so cherished to me.

Cousins are a gift. I love being able to talk to my cousins, to see them, and to be able to have them in my life. No matter how little or how often we see each other, I know that they will always love me and I will always love them. Social media has made it possible for me to see their lives even when we don't see each other and I am also forever grateful for that. It's great to be able to have these family members who are able to act as both family and friend in the same capacity, and who you know will support you for the rest of your life.