This I Believe…
I believe that I would not be the person that I am today without the love and support of my family. I was raised among four brothers and sisters by my mother and father. How my parents got through our teenage years is still a mystery to me!
Because of the differences between my brothers and sisters, sibling rivalries always existed. We argued, fussed and fought over the simplest things. However, through all of our differences, if an outsider threatened to harm any one of us, we all came to together to form a circle of protection. My sisters and brothers are my best friends. I’m truly thankful to able to say that. It seems that throughout the years, through the course of all of our rivalries, those moments have only allowed us to become a stronger family unit.
We are a strong family unit; we are not however, without flaw. For example, I learned about unconditional love at the prime age of seventeen. I was in the middle of my senior year in high school and found out that I was pregnant with my first child. I remember carrying that burden for quite some time before I finally had the courage to tell someone. That someone was my sister Teresa. It was a very emotional moment of time for us both. We laughed and cried all at the same time. I still remember to this day of feeling that no matter what I was getting ready to endure, I was not alone. Throughout my pregnancy my family was my unwavering source of guidance. I believe that I would not have gotten through that difficult time in my life without their love and support.
There are also moments of joy, such as when our family comes together for holidays. Out of all of the holidays, Thanksgiving is probably my favorite time with my family. I look forward to this day and begin planning several weeks in advance. I enjoy planning the meal for my family; from the casseroles, deserts, and turkey, down to the final details of what table cloth is going to be placed on the table.
The morning of Thanksgiving is crazy, tiring and a lot of work, but, as everyone begins to arrive it becomes even wilder. Our family began with seven and now we have a total of seventeen. It makes me smile when I think about how loud my home becomes when we all come together. By the end of the night, it looks as if a hurricane has gone through my home and I love every minute of it.
When we sit down to our meal, and after our blessing, we go around the table and state what we are most thankful for. Every year, I’m amazed to hear that the consensus is; that we are all most grateful for our families and are truly blessed to be celebrating another Thanksgiving together.
When I hear of other families and the hardships they have endured, such as family members affected by drug use and death, I come to realize that I am so blessed and I thank God every day for blessing me with my wonderful family. This I believe.