a charmed life.
November 12, 2009 § 1 Comment
In the twilight of a breezy night in Montego Bay, under skies where stars shine brighter than in the pink evenings of Newark, I waded in a lima bean-shaped pool, surrounded by the voices and faces of my childhood. These faces seemed only slightly changed from the way they looked back then. Maybe a little older today, maybe more laugh lines and crow’s feet, maybe more experiences weighing down on their shoulders.
Yet the feeling stays the same. This unbelievable sense of safety. This knowledge that, as long as you have these people loving you, the world is going to keep on turning, and you will always be just fine.
I think about my family often. Especially these days, when I’m questioning most things around me, wondering and wandering around, trying to find a home for my mind and my ambitions. I think about my heart’s contentment when I am with them. With people who have never done anything but love me and push me forward, and when I push myself too hard, they’re the ones who calm my restless nerves and my flightbound feet. And they bring me back to earth.
I have always been so thankful for the charmed life they’ve given me, and I will continue to be profoundly honored to call them my own.
Damn Milna, you almost made me cry.
Your family really is awesome, and I’m proud to be a part of it now. I’ve never seen a group of related people get along as well as you, your sister, and your cousins — it impressed me from the very beginning.
Many families seem to either despite each other or grow progressively further apart. Yours is the first I’ve experienced where you guys seem to somehow get closer with age, despite the growing challenges of maintaining tight relationships as we progress through adulthood.
I’ve never really been close with any part of my family, besides my parents (and they’ve been divorced for 15 years). Now I have a giant family that, although can seem too big at times, has provided me with some of the funnest, most fulfilling experiences of my life.
Now it’s your turn to almost cry.