Together, nothing can break us.

Dear family, please don't hate me for using this picture. It's just overflowing with love and joy, I couldn't resist. Dear readers, just a heads up. I'm on nyquil to suppress my wintry sniffles...please excuse me ahead of time for any rambles and rants of the nonsensical sort.

Today, as you can probably tell from tonight's photo, is my Dad's birthday! Happy Birthday Dad!

I consider myself very lucky. I grew up in a family that would have friday night dinners every week complete with cousins. My Great-Grandma was cheering me on when I learned how to ride a bike, which was a joint effort between Grandpa and Dad. My family has always been there for me. It wasn't until I got to college that I realized that a family this close was something that you don't come across too often. Sometimes, people get too caught up in their own agendas and cannot put differences aside. Sometimes, there is simply a misunderstanding that causes a separation of family members...and this sort of distance is the worst kind. It creates discomfort in the family circle, where there should be nothing but love...after all, this is where we are taught to love.

We must never forget where we come from or the people who raised us. And we must never sever those ties. When your parents are gone, all of a sudden you will realize all of the things you WISHED you knew about them. When your siblings live across the country, you're going to miss the fighting (and yes, the occasional punch...even if it always is to the arm on the same. exact. spot.) and you'll miss the comradery. Family often becomes an obligation and a source of frustration for people, rather than a pillar of love and support. No matter how much they piss you off, or how much they embarrass you...they are yours. For better and worse.

In this photo, we were singing happy birthday in 72 different keys. My older brother, who no longer lives at home, was singing through the phone. Dad was being his usual goof, and the dogs were running around like lunatics. That's my family, and they're the only one I've got. I love them for all of their flaws and all of their kindness. I am so grateful to have them in my life, because I know that they shaped me to become the person I am.

A sidenote on birthdays! Birthdays should always = joy. A birthday is a celebration of a persons presence in life. It only comes once a year for you, but expand your mind and look at the bigger picture of the world. Every day is someone's birthday. Every day should be a celebration of life. Be aware of your own presence on this planet, birthday or not. Embrace it, because our time here is so very short. Hold your family close to you, and live each day with joy and love. It doesn't have to be a birthday to have a fresh start...each sunrise brings a new start and a clean slate.

O, true Nyquil, thy drugs are quick! So...I'll end tonight's entry. However, I do want to throw in one final thought. This quote is a magazine clipping that has been hanging on my Grandma's fridge for I-don't-even-know-how-long. I think it sums up tonight's entry pretty well.

“A frail elderly woman gathered a bundle of twigs and showed them to her family. She separated one twig from the bundle and snapped it in half. Then, she tied a piece of twine around the bundle and bound them together asking each member of her family to try to snap the bundle. No one could break them. The woman smiled and explained: We are like this bundle of twigs. Separated, we are weak. But together, nothing can break us.”


Separated, we are weak. But together, nothing can break us.

Happy Birthday Dad! :)