People always say that holidays and birthdays are family time. Which I completely agree with. But as time goes by, I am realizing that life's too short not to spend all the time with your family that you can. When your family lives all over the place, it makes it a lot harder to see people frequently. But it truly is worth the time to get there. What could be better than surrounding yourself with people who love you and have been there through it all. If you get the chance, don't pass up on an opportunity to see your family.
I find myself hesitant to make the trips sometimes when life is really busy and feels pretty overwhelming. Once I finally get around to it, I realize nothing beats getting a number of different generations together and remembering where you came from. It's cool to be able to notice where you got different traits from and why you are the way that you are. You realize why you say the things you do or have formed certain opinions about things subconsciously because your relative from a different part of the country brought it to your family.
It always interests me to hear how differently older generation's lives were and the contrast in the world over time. We all should have some level of appreciation for the amount of knowledge and experience that our families have surrounded us with. They have provided us with opportunities and surrounded us with support that nothing can really compare to. If you think about it, if anyone in your family wasn't there or was a little bit different, you would be a different person.
If you haven't taken the time before, sit down with your extended family or your immediate family and listen to stories. Ask how life has changed and what their experiences have been. Everyone's perspective is significantly different so take the time to learn from theirs. Expand your view on the world by better understanding where you came from and how your family has been impacted by the quickly developing world.
Taking each day at a time makes all the difference. Next time you are with your family, put down your phone and turn off the TV. Cherish the time you have with all the people in your life because think about it, when is a better time than now? Be a little extra grateful for the family you still have around, because they won't be there forever. Make memories that will never leave you that you can pass down to future generations in your family. It's more than worth the time it takes, so go to the extra effort and set some aside.
