As a kid, I can remember wanting to just escape the household and hide out in my room or go hang out outside. Without taking in any consideration about my family, I would be away from them for hours on end unintentionally.
I didn't do that to be spiteful. I mainly isolated myself because I thought I had better things to do. My family has always been a supportive and loving family, so this wasn't me purposely attempting to avoid them.
Playing online games, messaging friends on Aim, liking friends' "Like my status for a to be honest" posts, texting friends, and seeing them through Oovoo or Skype took up the majority of my time in middle school. Into high school, I decided to spend more time with my family whenever I could.
Being involved in countless activities throughout my high school years, it became more complex to put aside time for my parents and my sister. We had different schedules.
Seeing my family come to the spring musicals just to see me playing a background character meant the world to me. They didn't show up to see the leads; they went to see ME. They would greet me with wholesome smiles and tell me how much they were proud of me to see me up there on the stage "appearing natural and calm".
When I played tennis, I was always on the Junior Varsity team up until my senior year, but they still insisted on coming to my matches. I would tell them that it wasn't worth coming if I wasn't good, so I told them they could come my senior year when I became Varsity. They showed up to every home match. That's when it occurred to me; they would support and love me unconditionally for the rest of their lives.
During the same time as I spent my years in high school, my family went through a hiccup. We encountered living next to neighbors from Hell, making my parents strictly go into survival mode. Their minds weren't focused on their kids; they were thinking about how could they defend their home. The laughs that we once shared turned to tears out of frustration and fear.
This took a toll on both my sister and I. Family time was spent with closed curtains and constantly playing back our security cameras. Holidays weren't the same as they used to be growing up. But all days weren't bad, just for the most part... different.
After moving and leaving that house behind, our relationship as a family began to rekindle and strengthen. With two more years to go until I receive my Bachelor's degree, I can't help but feel like my time with my family is going to be cut short. With my career choice, I can't stay in Jersey.
I've expressed to them my feelings and how leaving them would be one of the hardest things I would ever have to do, but they told me that it has to be done and that I'll always be able to visit. It feels like I finally have my normal family back. All we do is laugh whenever we're with each other. We tell one another everything that goes on in our lives without judging.
My parents have become my best friends. I enjoy watching movies with them and drinking coffee with them during breakfast. On my days off, sometimes just the thought of waking up to them is what makes me get out of bed. I just appreciate spending time with them.
They are such genuine people, and I feel so blessed to have been born into this world with them as my leaders. They are true inspirations, and I know that long after they are gone, I will still hear their voices lift me up.