a worthy drive

living away from my family at times felt like a blessing. not having to deal with demands. feeling utterly independent. making my own rules. and of course surrounded by friends. and a church family. because of their distance it has been easy to make decisions without their opinion. to reach out to others before contacting them. forgetting to visit during holidays and choosing others before them. it's not that friends and friends that are like family are bad, it's just that i often neglected my true-blood family. because of the distance. lack of connection perhaps. and because of the past circumstances that still linger. this saturday i took a flash trip to see them and reconnect with family i had not seen in years or vaguely remembered. my dad. my stepmom. my aunt. my cousins. the little ones. there was such harmony when i arrived. everyone just picked up where we left despite the years apart. and it was a blessing to see that. it was a blessing to see my family united. to feel their warmth. their support. and how proud they are of who i've become. i felt at home. and not in the physical way. but i felt the love. the desire to move forward. as one. to build connections and bonds that had been lost. and a father's love. a love never able to replaced.

You don't choose your family.  They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.  

~Desmond Tutu