My Family

What is family? Businessman and former Ford president, Lee Iacocca once said, “The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works, is the family.” If you stripped away all the glitz and glamour of your life, what would be left? There is only one answer for me, family. Whenever life’s most challenging moments arise and you are brought to your knees, your family will be the rock on which you can stand. Family is everything to me and I would not be the man that I am today without the love and support that my family has unconditionally given to me.

“Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter”(Henry). My family has several different aspects that make us a “family”. Many times I have thought to myself that Family isn’t important, although I think about it a little harder and my mind completely changes. The overall theme of a family is different for every single person. Morals are just another example of how different families are. My family has shaped me into the person I am today. The impact on my family is a lasting aspect. Many people believe family is only blood and I can’t disagree with that statement more. Many different factors go into describing Family, and the theme, morals, and lasting impacts describe my family.

Darkness, anger, sadness, innocence and love: these are the words that describe my older half-brother and all the memories and emotions he brings to me and my parents. I was born in a loving home, he was born under chaos. My father is my hero, his father is his villain. To take care of me, my mom left her job. To take care of him, my mom left my brother with my grandmother so that she could get a job. This story is hard to digest and harder to put into words. The relationship between my family and my brother is now over, and it made my vision of life and family change completely.

My life was stereotypical. A mom, a dad, a brother, and a dog. A nuclear family was what it was. House with a white picket fence. My days consisted of being in my fantasy world. Where stuffed animals were pets and they had their own little families. Where I spent hours finding creepy crawlies in the woods. Where watching my dad’s favorite show was considered quality time. But that fence was only an illusion. Like many other families, that white fence kept in more than just the family dog. It contained the secrets and lies. It hid the reputation of an unfaithful father. It created an illusion of unity within our family.

I grew up in a household slightly different from the average household. This abnormal household showed me that no matter the family unit someone can have a positive influence in their life that will push them to achieve their goals. We lived in Maryland so the cost of living was high my parents had to work multiple jobs. This means my brother and I really had little to none parental or supervision growing up. I am only four years younger than my brother so I would hang with his crowd of friends rather than mine. In my household, my mother’s niece, Monet lived with us she is about ten years older than my brother. When my brother and I would wake up and I would be the only person in the house. I can remember waking up and smelling the freshly cooked waffles and bacon downstairs. Monet was my mother’s brother, daughter. Monet became so close to my brother Avery and I she was almost as if she was our sister. I can remember growing up and she would always say, “You don't have to take the route I took, its many more exits on the highway.” Even though I was young I was not blind to the fact of Monet role in the community and her neighborhood job I never judged her, she did what she had to do to make ends meet. It was an experience every day, or anytime being with Monet. She was so popular around Maryland it was almost like everywhere we went we received respect love. Now that I look back at the past, I see that Monet has taught me a lot that I know and live by today. I could

Family was a word that made me feel like an empty bag, drifty down the wind, not having a clue about . It was a word I heard a lot, my family this and my family that, people I was surrounded with had a family to be with but I didn't have no family here to even spend time with. Sometimes when I heard people talk about their family, I would day dream and imagine how my family was like, what did they like to do and go to family reunions, how many people were in my family, were there some in my family characteristics that I shared with them or were there others that were totally different from mine. I would think what was my mom and dad's side like, what was different about them. All these questions I had floated in my head and left me wondering out for years. Whenever people asked about my family, I would just want to blast off, miles away to my destination and meet them, then land back to the conversion and tell them about my family.

As cliché as it may sound, my friends and family are the most important things in my life. When I say that my parents are the best in the world, I am not exaggerating. They treat me like an adult, appreciating my opinions in debates about anything from sports to politics and telling me the truth whenever possible. With them, I have been able to see the world, traveling to around the United States (to places like New York City, Acadia National Park, and even Columbia, South Carolina) and abroad (including Bermuda, Italy, and France). In my family, I am able to find people who challenge me to be my best and who also notice when I need comfort. On a similar note, my friendships have made me into a more adventurous, open person. I am naturally cautious and can worry extensively over decisions, but my friends have a way of bringing me out into the world. I have had wonderful experiences like going to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal and taking late-night fishing trips that I never would have done on my own. The people I love bring out the best in me and make me want to be even better.

My family may not be the tightest, or richest, but my parents love me and would do anything for me. My parents made me who I am, my mom told me to be humble and never judge a person because who knows what that person has been through. On the other hand there's my dad, who taught me a lot about the real world, and life is not as easy as I thought and you'll need money to have a decent life, so stay in school, because school the only way for a better life. My oldest brother probably taught me the most though. He tells me about sports and who got traded or hurt, he tells me about politics. They are the reason I am me. After all, if I was raised by my uncle, I think I wouldn't even think about going to college, I would prolly live in Norwood all my life following in his footsteps, but I wasn't, I was raised by two supporting parents, who wants me to have a better life than them and will make sure I will. My family made me who I am, with my dad lectures about me needing to work for what I want, to my mom's kindness and showing me how to treat others no matter who they are.

As children we are born into a family in which we are chosen by God to be in. We are placed in a home, community, and an environment that makes us who we are today. Some of us must seek to overcome and grow out of the place we were born in and others are more content with where they were brought up in. As a child I was born in a good home yet fought many battles but it made me the strong soldier I am today.

“So, Rory, I’ve got some… news,” my mother spoke in a troubled tone, stress and concern covering her face. It was followed by another emotion that I couldn’t decipher at the time, but now understand: heartbreak. I don’t remember much after her saying that, but I do remember crying as she told me what had happened while I was away. She said that, after seven years of marriage, she and my former step-dad had gotten divorced. My grandparents - my mother’s parents - had divorced as well. Hearing that was like a bullet to the heart. I knew I had no control over it, and that nothing that had happened was because of me or my brother, Tristan, but I felt as if my world tore itself into pieces, only trying to hurt me more from things like this. Having my parents split-up had already put so much sadness in my life, let alone now having two couples

“Work hard, never give up, and most importantly, always stay humble and kind”, these are just a few words my father would say to me when he had the chance or felt that I needed to hear that. My mother would say, “Mickey, as long as you believe in yourself, you can do anything”. To this day, I live my life through proverbs, quotes, and advice from a variety of people. I am very family-oriented. Most of the things I do is in hopes that I can augment some type of valuable contribution to my family and others. To begin to tell my story, I will first start by talking about the people who had the biggest influence on my life.

Sitting in jail after getting myself in trouble with a few friends doing things we should not have done. Balling my eyes out thinking of all the things that are going to ripple from this one mistake, I start to think of how this would affect my life and family. Overall, not really knowing what to do.

Friends are biggest value in people’s lives. I have many friends. Most of them are my neighbors, but also I have schoolmates. I can go out somewhere with them and feel comfortable. I know that friends of mine will help me anytime and anywhere. I can trust them. I have one best friend. I may pin his faith. Friendship between a friend of mine and me is firm and intense. He always helps me solve problems and treats me with respect. A friend of mine has never lied to me. It is better to say home truth that sweet lie. If I am upset, my best friend will jolly up me. He is caring, cheerful, trustworthy, outgoing and good-tempered. He is younger than I am. I think that age is not important for a friendship if you can come to an understanding and

On January 17, 2016, my family and I travelled about two hours to a small town called Yantis in east Texas. The elders of our family would always get together multiple times a year to catch up and see each other since they were getting to an age where they can’t depend on themselves being here on this Earth. Out of the seven or eight older members of the family, two or three had already passed by this time. My Uncle Charles was not looking good either, over the past few months he went from multiple doctor check-ups a week, to being in the hospital, and then ultimately hospice care.

Every year me and my dearest family and beloved friends would embark on a journey to my long deceased Uncle’s manor.My uncle died in the year 1867 at the age of eighty, the doctors never quite understood how he died but when he was found the maid said that he was holding a picture of tree which stood in the house gardens.However this picture was never seen after the maid put it on the mantelpiece after his death, nor the tree.