Family. It’s more than someone whose blood type is similar to yours. It’s more than someone you live with, fight with, love with and cry with. Family is the support system that holds a household together. Without this simple, six lettered noun, my life would be chaos; but with it, my life is magical. There are tears involved, and there’s commitment too. But the end result is something more fantastic than can be described in words: love.
In today’s society, family is too often forgotten about. It is shamefully scraped under the rug for later, something that ought to be paid attention to, but rarely is. What must be remembered is the fact that nobody would be here if it weren’t for family; not only because it is where we come from, but because it is what makes us. A mother doesn’t raise a child, a family raises a child. This is all too easy to forget when life is fine and simple and good. When everything is carefree and easy to manage, and family is put on the back burner for later. Unfortunately, by the time we realize how important family is and how much it truly shapes us, it’s too late. I only know this too well.
It all started with simple motor problems. But by the last day of my seventh grade school year, my mom had been taken to the emergency room. The CAT-scan revealed a tumor. A tumor. To describe the shock would be impossible- it was like one of those dreams where you just can’t wake up. But through it all, the chemo, radiation, rehab and physical therapy, my mom has emerged stronger than ever.
And even more amazing, my entire family has become closer due to this horrific experience. Rather than trying to handle our grief on our own, we learned to cope. To talk. To cry. What I went through was something that I could not have done without my family to back me up. And as often as I find myself wishing this hadn’t happened to me, as often as I find myself wondering why, I know that somewhere hidden behind this curse, there is a blessing. It is a blessing of hope, togetherness, and strength. But most of all, it is the blessing that my family is strong enough to be able to overcome this obstacle, and look ahead into the future, rather than dwell on the past.
But how could I mention family without mentioning my sister? Five years ago, I would never dream of mentioning her in any document that would be readily available to the public, but things have changed since then. From the days of tie-dye bathing suits and Barbie doll games in the sun, to college applications and courses for high school, my sister and I have evolved from being simply sisters to so much more. And it’s more than shopping and gossiping. It’s a bond that has evolved out of nowhere and continues to build up over the years. The connection between two sisters is one that nobody could really understand- apart from two sisters.
Of course, there is one more member of the family who simply cannot go without being mentioned, and that is our chubby, black-haired, non-blinking dog, Leila. Chosen from amongst all her little brothers and sisters for mountains of kisses she showered us with, Leila has been a part of our family ever since we got her eight years ago. It just goes to show that family doesn’t have to be someone you have a blood relation to. Family doesn’t even have to be all human!
To have family, one must have love, care, and understanding. It’s a support system, more reliable than any other kind. Family can consist of two people, or one hundred people, or more! It can be all under one roof or it can be a community. Growing up in a close-knit neighborhood, I have experienced first hand what it’s like to have a home away from home. It is almost as important as the house I grow up in.
My family? It consists of a stay at home mom, a working dad, a sister at college, a fat, smelly dog, and me. It consists of my neighbors, who I would call my brothers and sisters without hesitation. It consists of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and Nonna (my zesty Italian grandmother who could very easily have her own essay written about her). What ties all these different people together is our constant love for each other, the memories we share, but most of all, the laughs we have enjoyed together. Because greater than all the tears, anger, and obstacles we have overcome together is the happiness we have shared. It is what represents us as one. As a community. As a family.
What is family, truly? It is, at best, an environment full of love. An environment I have been fortunate enough to be a part of my entire life.

Family. It’s more than someone whose blood type is similar to yours. It’s more than someone you live with, fight with, love with and cry with. Family is the support system that holds a household together. Without this simple, six lettered noun, my life would be chaos; but with it, my life is magical. There are tears involved, and there’s commitment too. But the end result is something more fantastic than can be described in words: love.
In today’s society, family is too often forgotten about. It is shamefully scraped under the rug for later, something that ought to be paid attention to, but rarely is. What must be remembered is the fact that nobody would be here if it weren’t for family; not only because it is where we come from, but because it is what makes us. A mother doesn’t raise a child, a family raises a child. This is all too easy to forget when life is fine and simple and good. When everything is carefree and easy to manage, and family is put on the back burner for later. Unfortunately, by the time we realize how important family is and how much it truly shapes us, it’s too late. I only know this too well.
It all started with simple motor problems. But by the last day of my seventh grade school year, my mom had been taken to the emergency room. The CAT-scan revealed a tumor. A tumor. To describe the shock would be impossible- it was like one of those dreams where you just can’t wake up. But through it all, the chemo, radiation, rehab and physical therapy, my mom has emerged stronger than ever.
And even more amazing, my entire family has become closer due to this horrific experience. Rather than trying to handle our grief on our own, we learned to cope. To talk. To cry. What I went through was something that I could not have done without my family to back me up. And as often as I find myself wishing this hadn’t happened to me, as often as I find myself wondering why, I know that somewhere hidden behind this curse, there is a blessing. It is a blessing of hope, togetherness, and strength. But most of all, it is the blessing that my family is strong enough to be able to overcome this obstacle, and look ahead into the future, rather than dwell on the past.
But how could I mention family without mentioning my sister? Five years ago, I would never dream of mentioning her in any document that would be readily available to the public, but things have changed since then. From the days of tie-dye bathing suits and Barbie doll games in the sun, to college applications and courses for high school, my sister and I have evolved from being simply sisters to so much more. And it’s more than shopping and gossiping. It’s a bond that has evolved out of nowhere and continues to build up over the years. The connection between two sisters is one that nobody could really understand- apart from two sisters.
Of course, there is one more member of the family who simply cannot go without being mentioned, and that is our chubby, black-haired, non-blinking dog, Leila. Chosen from amongst all her little brothers and sisters for mountains of kisses she showered us with, Leila has been a part of our family ever since we got her eight years ago. It just goes to show that family doesn’t have to be someone you have a blood relation to. Family doesn’t even have to be all human!
To have family, one must have love, care, and understanding. It’s a support system, more reliable than any other kind. Family can consist of two people, or one hundred people, or more! It can be all under one roof or it can be a community. Growing up in a close-knit neighborhood, I have experienced first hand what it’s like to have a home away from home. It is almost as important as the house I grow up in.
My family? It consists of a stay at home mom, a working dad, a sister at college, a fat, smelly dog, and me. It consists of my neighbors, who I would call my brothers and sisters without hesitation. It consists of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and Nonna (my zesty Italian grandmother who could very easily have her own essay written about her). What ties all these different people together is our constant love for each other, the memories we share, but most of all, the laughs we have enjoyed together. Because greater than all the tears, anger, and obstacles we have overcome together is the happiness we have shared. It is what represents us as one. As a community. As a family.
What is family, truly? It is, at best, an environment full of love. An environment I have been fortunate enough to be a part of my entire life.