There are three people in this world that have had an impact on me unlike anyone else. These three people have been with me my entire life. We spent every second of our childhood together and know everything about one another.
Although we have spent every second together growing up, the time together as we have gotten older is slowly diminishing. Whether one of us is going to work, sports or school, the time we have together is becoming less and less. Right now, the oldest sibling is studying abroad in Europe. I'm usually at college, which is three and a half hours away from home. The second youngest is a senior in high school. And the very youngest is a freshman in high school. Even though I have only been away from home for six months now, I have realized so many things.
The first thing that I have realized is that during my youth, some of the time spent with my family was taken for granted. My mom would text me saying she wanted to have family dinner. Instead of appreciating this time together as a family, I would eagerly anticipate that high school sporting event that was right after dinner. I failed to realize that family dinners will become something that only happen every once in a while. In college, I would do anything to take a break from studying to have dinner with my family.
The second thing I realized is that while I have been distracted with growing up, I have forgotten that everyone around me is also getting older. When I go away for school, so many things change. I came back and realized that my youngest sister grew an entire inch. My grandparents are a little older than they were two months before. I take advantage of the time I have with my loved ones, some of which will not be around for my entire lifetime. When I come back from school, I have learned to appreciate that beautiful time I have been given with the family that I am blessed to be a part of. I need to remember not to forget to be thankful for the beautiful people around me.
The third thing I have realized is that if I could go back, I would do so many things differently. I wish I could stay in on those Friday nights I went out with my friends. I would have family dinner with my sisters and mom every night because now I'm lucky to even see her at the same time as my siblings. I wish I could go back to the moments when we were laughing so hard we could barely breathe. I would cherish the moments spent with my grandparents because I have realized that as I grow up, they are growing older. Having a sibling across the country or three hours away and not being able to see your family and come home to them every day sucks. I would do anything to hug my sisters, mom and family after a long day.
No matter what point in your life you're at, take a second to realize that things change in a blink of an eye. When you are spending time with loved ones, put your phone down. Stop anticipating the next moment and take a second to appreciate the time we have been given.
I have now learned to cherish the limited time I get to spend with my family. It's easy to get wrapped up in the moment and to forget that time doesn't stop moving.
