Family is no thicker than water.

Something I've learned unfortunately early, is that just because someone is family, doesn't mean they love you, or care about you.  I've learned that the saying "blood is thicker than water" is simply a scientific explanation to two different liquids and has no relevance to the actual relationship between two or more people.

There are members of my family that I love, and that I would do anything for.  There are also members of my family who I don't even consider my family.  Maybe its because I have a large family, or maybe its just because that shit likes to hit my fan, but regardless there has been plenty of family drama around here.

There are also people in my life who I also love, like my friends and boyfriend, who I would also do anything for.  They are not blood, they are "water", but my connection to them is far superior to the one I have with certain relatives.

If I've learned anything from all of this, I've learned that relationships take work.  To keep them in tact, they take conversations, phone calls, e-mails, the occasional lunch out, the occasional kind word. I know that I can't expect someone to treat me in a certain way if I don't treat them kindly first.  I try to be the friend that I want my friends to be to me.  I try to be the sister I want my sisters to be to me (I think you get the point).  I've also learned to let go.  If someone decides the past is more important than the present, then that's their problem.  I trek forward- I keep moving towards the future while enjoying the present.  And I surround myself with positive people.  It's hard, it hurts my feelings, and I constantly wonder if it's right.  But I guess this is all part of growing up- realizing people don't care as much as they lead you to believe, realizing that your family can hurt you more than your worst enemy, and realizing that you're the only one who can control it.