family.

I am so thankful for my family. I really could not ask for one that is more supportive, loving or sacrificial than the one I have. No matter how many times I mess up or say something hurtful or disrespectful... they are always there for me, willing to forgive me and love me unconditionally. I'm so blessed to have a really close relationship with my parents and siblings, too. Now more than ever, I feel like I can tell them anything. Anything!

Studying about all these broken teenagers largely because of the broken families they come from makes me that much more thankful. I know that the nuclear family is becoming ever more rare and not the norm. Of course, my family is far from perfect.... we have our strained, turbulent times too..... but I'm still so grateful to be a part of it.

I find that a lot of people tend to remark about how "nice", "caring", or "sweet" I am. I used to (and maybe still do) just brush it off and not really believe they mean it or know what they're talking about.. but.. finding that I can't seem to avoid those words when I hear people describe me, maybe I should start believing it more. In any case, I still don't know if I agree, but if anyone does see that in me, I credit my family (and God :)). Someone (I think it was Yu-Ling at a Campus Challenge workshop...) once said that they wouldn't be able to show love or care for others if they hadn't been shown that same degree of love or care themselves by someone else first. I agree with that... and I think that it's because I've been given and shown so much love in my own life that I am able to love and care more freely.

Sometimes... I take for granted that unconditional love and acceptance from my family so much so... that I do stupid and rebellious things... also known as "youngest child syndrome" :P I'm working on turning that tendency to rebel into.... something more appropriate as a response to grace and love.


Just something on my heart that I wanted to share :)