Family

I love my family ♥️

Family teaches you so many things. Like, how do you tell your stubborn father, who gets offended quickly, to take his blood pressure medicine? How do you have a productive conversation about curfew with your sister, who has stayed over at your apartment for the past year? How do you talk about politics with your cousin, who has some… interesting takes? In an age where everyone stays in their echo chamber, family forces you to deal with differences. It forces you to grow, learn, and improve.

Family doesn’t need to be “perfect” or “functional,” whatever the hell that means. Actually, it rarely is. And honestly, that’s where the magic lies. It’s the imperfections, the array of unique personalities, and those heated arguments that really make family meaningful. It's the realness of it all that I appreciate most. Family isn’t just about being tied by blood or marriage; it’s about connection, commitment, and CHOOSING to see the good in someone over the bad. CHOOSING to love each other despite all the hardship. It is a CHOICE that YOU make.

I want my family to GROW! One day (hopefully soon!), I’ll marry my girlfriend—and when that happens, her family will become mine too. They’ll live with me, as is the Asian way, and I look forward to it. I want a big family. Like, a really big one. I dream of a lively house filled with laughter, noise, and the joyful chaos of kids screaming, “WE LIKE FORTNITE! WE LIKE FORTNITE!”. Sure, it'll be messy and loud, but to me, that’s a dream come true.

Here’s to family. Here’s to embracing the beautiful messiness that comes with it. Here’s to love.

P.S. This book helped me talk gooder when the conversation was emotionally charged.