This weekend, I am high up in the Smoky Mountains of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. What am I doing in these sleepy little valleys of mist and woodlands, you may ask? I am embarking on the age-old tradition of a family reunion. Family reunions are infamous in pop culture and common knowledge as horrific gatherings of relatives where everyone is judged, no one gets along, and watches become the favorite accessory as everyone counts down the seconds until it is all over and they can all go back home to normalcy (or as normal as it gets for some people). I have always found this trope funny and have laughed at the Griswolds of the world both onscreen and off, but I have never had this experience in my own life. Family reunions with my family have always been rollicking good times of fellowship, love, and close familial and generational bonding.

My family is so close-knit, and although we are all as different as can be, it is cohesive and it just works. We are one big patchwork quilt with so many different pieces and squares that seem to clash when apart, but when they are brought together, the threads that bind us are as strong if not stronger than any others, and they form such a beautiful tapestry of symbols that paint the picture of who we are as a family.

Spending time with your family can be draining for some people, but for me it has always been the balm I never knew I needed for the troubles in my life. They have helped me through heartbreak and taught me that I am enough on my own, but that I don’t always have to be. They have my back and make me realize that I can do anything because of who I am blessed to have in my corner biologically. My family inspires me every day to be stronger and encourages me to be my own unique self in all that I am and do.

My family is full of endless stories and lessons. That is one thing about the Arns: we love to talk. It’s what we are best at. Sometimes we talk too much, or talk over one another, but we eventually all hear each other and we each have so many amazing things to share and say. Every day with my family is an adventure. It is a wild adventure and I don’t always have the proper “climbing gear” or other equipment to handle it, but it is always an adventure in the end, and I am always, always better for it. They don’t baby me, but they make me feel special, and they never make me apologize for who I am. They get me, and when they don’t, they always at least make the effort to understand and make me feel validated. They are always on my side, but are not afraid to tell me when I’m wrong, and where I can turn to put myself back on the right path.

All in all, my family isn’t perfect. We have our flaws and arguments just like any other. However, I would never trade them for any other family and I know they are the ones I was meant to be with. You don’t get to pick your family, but in my case, I could not have picked a better one. So, while family reunions have become synonymous for most with a weekend of ripping your hair out, for me, a family reunion is always a much-needed chance to relax, refuel, and prepare myself to go out and take the world back on, revitalized, with the best people in the world in my back pocket of my jeans (well, genes, really, I suppose).