My family and I have always been a close-knit kind of family. We do everything together and are always there for one another. We have our moments when we can't stand each other, but at the end of the day we put all aside and those moments are what bring us closer together.
There was a time when I wasn't close with my family though. It was a dark time for me and I felt as if I could do anything and everything on my own. I didn't want any help from anyone. I was between the ages of 16 and 18 when I felt I could conquer the world alone. I never wanted to be around my family, I always wanted to be out and about with friends. I stopped hanging around the house during these years, and it eventually made my parents lose trust in me. Once I had lost their trust, it was all downhill from there.
Constant bickering and fighting occurred every time I walked into my house. My mom would hound me for the stupidest of things (or what I thought were stupid at the moment) and that is what led me to stop coming home all the time. I would find friend's houses to stay at and would make plans for after school so I wouldn't have to go home right away. It was fun, but looking back now, it's sad to think that I wasted so much time that could've been used for getting closer to my family.
It wasn't until I got into college when everything changed. I finally realized that I needed my family because where I stood at that moment in my life, they were the only ones I had. I started to call my mom on my own (this is a big shocker) just to talk and our relationship then started to repair itself. I would visit home more often than others just to hang out with my family. Time soon became an essence for me since I knew I wouldn't be able to see them anytime I wanted.
Moving away and living on your own is a bigger step in your life than many expect it to be. I never realized how much my family did for me while living at home until I had to do it on my own. Even though most of the fights were caused because of me, my family has never turned their backs on me. Instead, they did the opposite and continued to love me and be there for me. I am 100% positive that if I didn't have my family to lean back on then I would not be able to get through college.
My 17-year-old self thought she could do everything and more on her own (and one day she will), but boy was she wrong. I think through all the heartbreak and hard times my family and I have lived through, it has brought us closer together. It made us ALL realize that we need each other through thick and thin. I cannot express how grateful I am that I am closer to my family than ever before. It is a great feeling to know that you have so many people who love you.