Growing up, family events were rarely optional. My brothers and I were expected to be at dinners, outings, parties, games, and concerts for one another. It was not enough to say "good luck" ahead of time, but we shouted it from the stands, at rainy soccer games, at cold track meets, and at sometimes boring concerts.
It wasn't always ideal to have expectations to be at my brothers' events. Most of the time I didn't complain because I had to be there for a reason, too. But looking at American society and how a family is treated today has caused me to reconsider what I was expected to do, and why I shouldn't have viewed that as an expectation at all, but as an opportunity.
Family is something that's irreplaceable. The people who love you on your worst days. The people who cheer for you in all kinds of weather. The people who tell you that you performed well on a day you most definitely did not. And the people who encourage you, pick you up, and love you unconditionally. That is why I don't feel as though my childhood was a nuisance. That's why I see that having the constant support of my dad, mom, brothers, and grandparents has made me who I am today.
Coming to college has shown me that people do not see the value in this anymore. Why is it an option to be selfish and isolated from the family instead of fully invested? Sure, you weren't given the choice to live with these people. But they are the people that matter above all else.
They are the people who let us act like children regardless of what age we are.
They are the people that you can stuff your face full of crab legs with.
They are the people you get to be goofy with.
But most importantly, they are the ones you can turn to when life is stinky.
Because no one else can quite make you smile the way that they can.
I'm not sure why America thinks that these things are not worth fighting for. To me, it seems like common sense. Life has so much more meaning when it is shared with the people we love.
Why can't people find the time to spend a half hour to eat together? Regardless of how busy you are, everyone should make the effort to have family time every day. If dinner doesn't work out, an hour in the evenings with a board game, or even just watching a group TV show is beneficial.
The value of a home cooked meal speaks far above all else. Fast food is not only unhealthy, but it does not lend itself to memories, to discussion, or to family. I may go as far to say as the fast food business is destroying the family. We no longer seem to be able to take the time to gather around a table, remove all technology, and focus and invest in one another.
It is important that in a world that consistently aims to destroy these primary institutions that we stand up against the common trends of the day, where drive-thru is acceptable and families eat in shifts. While my family is not perfect in doing this, we make every effort to all be present for dinner, and it has had a remarkable impact on our relationships with one another.
Stand up for the institution of the family, for it is the most valuable institution we have. Family is the reason I cannot wait to go home for breaks from college. Family is the reason I strive to be a better person. Family is the reason that I smile. Family is the reason that I live a full life.
