Family is so important. Though there may be distance, or disagreements or just plain old differences of opinion, family is there. They are there to cheer for you, to console you, to back you up. I can never understand when I hear about people who don't speak to a sibling for years at a time. Or when they've had a falling out and don't want to make up, that drives me nuts.
I had an argument with my sister a few years ago. We didn't speak for like a year and a half. It made me crazy. I thought about our argument every day. We both are so damn stubborn that neither of us would make up, but I know that it bothered her as much as it did me. Finally, I just couldn't take it anymore. I called, apologized for my part in the argument and we made nice. We've always had differences of opinion, she and I. She's more of a black and white kind of person and I'm more of a shades of grey. We agree to disagree more often then not, but we still love each other and she has always been my biggest fan. But I guess that's what you have to do with family. You have accept each other's ways rather then try to push them to change or to agree with you.
There are things about family members we may not like. Maybe it's their political viewpoints, their lack of communication skills, their quick temper - whatever. But they are the hand you are dealt. And I'm sure if you think about your family they have far more good points then bad, for what they may lack in communication skills, they may more then make up for with understanding and patience.
I know there are some people in the world that will just rub you the wrong way, that get under your skin like a chigger and drive you nuts for a while. But on the other hand, there are those who are able to comfort you on your darkest days, be your champion for success and will always care that you are ok, and those people are family. So I say we have to cut each other some slack.
And know that deep down these people care for you no matter what. If push came to shove they would be there for you as best they could. So don't get too hung up on the specifics - "he said, she said...they did this, they never do that..." dig deeper, get to the heart of things - for the majority of us love our family's deep down, despite our faults, despite theirs, we were thrust together in this universe for a reason. It's up to us to figure out that reason and work with it.
