Let me just state the obvious: being away from someone you love really sucks. There are countless books, movies, songs, and TV shows that all center around how hard it is to be away from someone that you care about so deeply. The lonely feeling that comes from having a loved one away from you is universal, and it's so easy for people to find pieces of themselves in characters going through that.

Modern technology has provided us with numerous new things like FaceTime and Snapchat so that we can "see" them more often. But,as much as people take pictures and send updates, you always feel like you're missing out on their lives. When my niece was coming into this world, I was so excited to get to be a part of this wonderful new life. I looked forward to being there for the big milestones: her birthdays, graduation, etc. But, as I thought more about it, I was sad because I felt like I missed out on the little things. It was selfish, but I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to be there for those little moments that really make up someone's life.

As it got closer and closer to her due date, I kept making myself sad by thinking about what I was going to miss. We packed for our trip down to Alabama, and I just felt myself getting almost angry because it wasn't fair to me that these people I love have to live so far away. In what was supposed to be such a happy time, I felt torn. On one hand, a miracle was about to occur and I was about to be an aunt. But, on the other, the distance kept coming up in my mind. I never talked to anyone about it because I knew it was not a good thing for me to be thinking about.

Looking back, I wish I wouldn't have allowed my mind to dwell so much on the fact that my family is so far away. From a young age, I was taught about the importance of family, so why would I think that a silly little thing like distance would get in the way of that? As my niece and my whole family grows up, we set aside time just for each other. It's not as much time as any of us would like, but that's a part of what makes it so special. When the time you get with someone is limited, that time becomes a treasure.

I truly do treasure the time that I get to have with my family that lives so far away from me. I would love to just erase the distance and have them right next door, but life doesn't always work that way. You take what you're given and you make the best out of it. It's cliche, but love really does not care about distance and renuions prove that.