Today is my great aunt and grandpa’s birthday. There were nine kids in their family. My grandpa, the youngest, my great aunt, the middle child, and the eldest were all born on February 25th. Being in college, one has a new appreciation for their family. I think that it is far too easy to push our family to the side and hang out with friends instead, or go shopping, or play video games. I know that in my own life I have a tendency to spend all of my free time with my friends; I’ll spend my time with them right up until I need to do my homework, and I won’t think about when I’m going to hang out with my family. When I was fifteen my grandma was dealing with a disease called ALS ( If you’re a baseball fan you might know of it as Lou Gehrig’s disease), and we would go over to my grandparent’s house every night. I remember I was learning to drive at that time, and my parents and my little brother and I would be dying of laughter about my mistakes by the time we got to our destination (mind you, I’ve gotten much better). We would have movie nights, the four of us, and we would play games (Bananagrams was one of our favorites). I remember when my oldest brother started to date and how he was never home, and how much I would try to get his attention. And now it’s my turn to be independent. I’m not dating a person per se, but a lifestyle; one of late night homework endeavors, and friends, and wasted time on useless internet searches. Even though I’m a commuter I hardly ever spend any time with my family. When we look at scripture, God does not ignore family. He even specifies between love between children and parents, and wife and husband. It shows the importance of such relationships that He gives them a name.
Tonight we are having a birthday party at Pizza Ranch for my seventy-nine year old grandpa and my eighty-eight year old aunt, and I will take a solid hour and a half out of my impossibly busy schedule so that they might have the chance of knowing how much I really do love them.
Peacefully His,
Lindsey
