Spend more time with your family

“I realized over the two weeks that “meeting as adults” isn’t straightforward. It’s a process, that will take time. It’s quite uncomfortable at times, and it includes me cleaning up some insecurities of my childhood. But ultimately, it’s so worth it. [...] I realized how much we’re connected. I had this crazy thought one night, when I watched her read, that not only had my life started with her, my life had started INSIDE of her. Think about that for a moment. She gave me life. She baked me. I was inside her body. Speaking about being close. Crazy. And I realized that independence comes on a spectrum, where I have to find the right balance. I couldn’t spend every day with my mum, I do need my freedom and I AM a different person by now. But at the same time, we’re one and the same at quite a fundamental level and there are no people out there that I’m more connected to than my family.”

“Each day I texted a heart with the words “Dad/Mom/Sissy, I love that you….” I was scared when I first informed my family of what I had up my sleeve — as feelings and emotions aren’t always talked about. And I was afraid they might become bugged by a daily text message. In the end it was the most beautiful 28 days I have spent with my family. I never felt closer and more connected and more rooted to my father, mother, sister and self. Memories came flooding through during that time- some not so sweet others sweet as sugar. The not so sweet ones were opportunities for me to give a new meaning to that bitter story/experience. It allowed me to appreciate our differences and see that we are all doing only what we know how to.”

“See, there’s few things I love more than going home to be with my family and friends and, conversely, there are few things I love less than leaving them. Being home always reenergizes me. After the stress of work builds up for weeks/months, I’m able to go home where there’s no chores to do, no work to be done (work that I’m paid for that is), and I’m able to just relax. So whenever I come back from that small town Shangri-La, I am usually a bit grumpy.”