Family is very important to many people. The idea of living life without your family is almost unheard of, but in many occasions, people forget how serious it is to cherish your loved ones. When around family, you have to acknowledge the love and passion that you feel for one another. Many people don’t do this, and it saddens me. Family is important because you never know when you will need them, you should feel a connection to them, and you never know when your last time seeing them will be.

Family means a lot to me personally. I was raised in a home where my family was all I had, and I knew I could depend on them. You will never know when you need someone in your family. Not just immediate family either. I’m talking cousins, uncles, aunties, etc. You have to be respectful to your whole family, not just to the ones that give you gifts at Christmas, or the ones that buy you candy. Be mindful of how you act towards that uncle that you hate to see coming because when you need that recommendation letter for that job you want, you won’t hesitate to ask him for it. Things like this should be taken into consideration.

When I think of family, I think of happiness and love within my home. I think of the laughter and joy that takes place in my house whenever I am with my family. I also understand that everyone doesn’t feel that way about their family. I think this is because they don’t have or never had the connection with their family that I do. I’m not saying that my family is perfect because Lord knows we're not, but I was blessed with people who understand and know that I won’t always agree with what they say or do. You have to try to build a relationship with the people in your family and build a strong foundation based on trust, love, and understanding.

My father passed away when I was a freshman in high school. It was so unexpected, and it caused a lot of pain for me. Its been over four years since that happened, and I have grown to be strong and continue to be the woman my father intended for me to be. I say this because we have to cherish our loved ones while we have them. You will never know the day nor the time that someone is going to leave this earth. No matter how much you prepare your self, you will never be fully prepared. I thank God everyday for the time that he gave me with my father because those moments are all that I have now. You have to make good memories with your family, and not bad ones that won’t matter 10 years from now. Cherish every single moment and be happy you have them.

Family will keep you on your toes and really make you upset, but you have to know that they are there to get you through the rough times. They will definitely make you want to pull your hair out, believe me, I know. But I know that they will bless me and help me progress in life.