I tried to do handstands for you.

And so I reside... in my beautiful little home town, awaiting the arrival of a certain holiday and ever-preparing for it's celebrations.
I am definitely less cynical about the holidays once I am at home, with my tree set up and with a thick layer of snow on the ground.
Last night was the first of many shenanigans with my long lost home-town pals. It was fun, and nice to see all my love's, but hard to enjoy as I am still exhausted from the last four months of my life.
It's funny how your priorities change. Throughout high school I was hopelessly independent and denied any support (not financially, obviously) from my parents.
I was completely ignorant to the fact that they are, indeed, my family and that will never change. I realize now that I am so lucky to have such amazing parents and such a caring brother.
Even the first couple years I was living up at school, every time I would come home and spend absolutely no time with my family, constantly running in and out of the house with various dates with my friends.
I suppose that is the point of growing up, learning from your mistakes and growing and maturing, but when it comes to family, it took me way too long to gain the respect and love for my family that they deserve.
Every family has their problems. My family is absolutely no exception, but the fact that I have a family to have problems with is something in itself to cherish, especially this time of year.
I am constantly coming across people who display the same attributes as me in this respect: constantly taking the issues with their family members over the love they should have, unconditionally, for them.
(Just as an aside, I can only discuss this in the examples of families I have encountered. I am well aware that some family members can wrong you in such a way where there is no repair. And whether you love them unconditionally after they have wronged you so is completely your own business. I have been wronged by a family member I have loved and looked up to my entire life, but I have forgiven her, because throughout her most difficult times her love for me remained unwavering, and for that I will love continue to love her with all my ability.)

I've been receiving some responses that indicate my blogs as depressing. This is probably true, even within the blog you are currently reading.
But in the case of family, you must realize, as I have, that amongst the love you feel for any human being, it is inevitable to encounter sadness.
We are all inherently different, in personality and character. So it is inevitable that these attributes come in conflict when you love someone.
The import thing is that you remember you love them, and you show them you love them in every way possible, and you are honest with the ones you love so that the conflicts that arise are dealt with in the best way possible so you can go back to loving eachother.
All of this is obviously easier said than done, but that is life.
So skip all the saying and just do.

Love*