Be Love.

Look at me post 2weeks in a row!

Today, I am in Knoxville, Tennessee with my mom. She is taking a 1.5day course and has a really intense test to take at the end of the second day. I am sitting in our hotel room enjoying the peace & quiet. And procrastinating from actual work. Dude, it's my holiday break - any work I get done means I am one step ahead, and any work I don't get done does not mean I am behind... at least that is the way I justify emailing, & reading blogs and twitter posts and facebook statuses for 2hrs. wow.

So this past week was Christmas. My first Christmas at home in 4 years, to be exact. And I thought it went pretty well! I am grateful to be blessed with a family who is honest, loving, open and emotional. While we are very typical in the fact that we're all a little crazy, I like to think that we are slightly atypical in the fact that we admit it! :) I love that we are always trying to improve who we are and the relationships we have - with one another, with other people and with ourselves. There is this sense of self-analysis that I truly appreciate in each of my family members. I don't know if everyone else's family is like this or not, but I like to think it's what makes my family special - and not in the bad way.

I would hate to live in a family where everything always stayed the same and we ignored our problems. I would hate to be a part of a family that was "perfect" on the outside and completely insane in the hidden parts. I like that we can talk to one another, process with one another and argue with one another - without ever feeling less loved.

It really is a good feeling to know that wherever I am, whatever I'm doing, however I feel, or whoever I disagree with, I will ALWAYS be loved - TRULY loved by my family. That love is what keeps me going. It's what encourages me to better myself and it is what pushes me to really look at my faults and desire to change them.

For me, family is not about tradition. It is not about history. It is not even about proximity. It's about relationships.

I have taken my family for granted over the years and it took me leaving for 6yrs to truly appreciate them. This week - actually, this month - that appreciation was tested - and proved true. I love them more today than ever before. Even if they do get on my nerves. :)

Today, I choose to assume that when my family gets on my nerves, it is an opportunity to BE LOVE. I will fail, I am sure, but this is the outlook I want to have from now on.

Love to everyone in blogland - I hope you find a way to BE LOVE in your life too! :)