Ma’Kayla Hunter

Staff Writer

As the month of February continues, the feeling of love may continue to enter our lives. However, there seems to always be a focus on our significant others. We engage ourselves in ideal romances and whatever satisfies our loving spirit during this time. On top of this, it is also important to consider our family relationships. Family can be a complicated topic, considering all the roles of people that can make up a home. Varying personalities, actions and beliefs can vary greatly from one person to the next. Regardless of their behavior, it is vital to remember that these are the specific individuals that are directly connected to you. We should value our family relationships through finding a healthy balance of distance and love to give to each individual.

Recently, I was able to go home and visit my loved ones. Being able to see my valued family members is always something that brings me this nostalgic peace. We reminisced on past memories, laughed about who the person we’ve become and enjoyed the time we have with one another. Moving away and establishing my own life within another city made my childhood home no longer my present home. This reality check of becoming a full-fledged adult was mind-blowing, but it’s intriguing to see how I continue to develop and how it affects my relationships. If there’s one thing to remember, relationships can change drastically overtime. Though this can be positive or negative, any form of development contributes to growth within each individual. As our knowledge and experience increases, it allows for various dialogues and connections to be made within a family. 

Our countless conversations and jokes confirm to me how precious this time is. Being able to interact with our family in the present is a privilege considering the recurring events of life. Time is something that people have no control over when it comes to their lifespan. Because our life can be taken from us within any second, we must enjoy the days we still have on this earth. This includes loving and appreciating our family, even when they get on our last nerves.

We can’t choose our family and we are not guaranteed to get along with all of our family members. Some of our closest family members can commit actions that hurt us and go against our beliefs and values. Though this can be disheartening, there is no reason to let this prevent a person from loving the people around them who are actually beneficial and positive additions to your life. Time is too short to give your time and energy to situations that don’t benefit you. Therefore, enjoy the ones who value you in the same manner that you do, and appreciate all the possible memories and experiences that you have within your limited lifetime.

Categories: Opinions