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The other day, an amazing thing happened to me. A memory from exactly one year ago popped up on my phone. It was a picture of me during my freshman year of college, but with a notably puffy face and red eyes. I had been going through a miserable time. The caption read, “I hate it here, I want to come home.” The picture brought back a flood of emotions and reminded me of how overwhelmed I was back then.
For so long, I had tried to hide that I wasn’t having the “typical college experience.” And at that moment, I honestly thought that I had made the worst decision of my life. A year later, I am able to appreciate my blessings more than ever–how fitting for the holidays.
This holiday season I am especially thankful for my family.
First, God bless my mom and dad.
Growing up, my parents always expected us to try our hardest. Still, they fully recognized that sometimes stuff hits the fan and everything does not go as expected. However, if I committed to something, I was expected to do just that — stay committed.
When I got to college, I felt that “trying my hardest,” was not good enough. My premed caseload was tough, and I ran into some health issues and had difficulty being away from home. There were days when trying my hardest was not good enough; however, my parents never let me feel like I wasn’t good enough. They listened. They let me know that they were there for me. And they reassured me every day that I would get through this.
They helped me keep my commitment to Creighton. And I am really glad they did. Ironically, I have been selected to participate in a recruitment program here, where I will be helping to recruit prospective students. (Umm, talk about a 180 degree turn!!!) They have shown me that hard work really does pay off, they have inspired me to dream and follow through with my dreams, and they have been with me through it all, even when things got rocky. Most importantly they have loved me.
My big brother, Joey…thank you for being a listening ear, and always making me laugh. I would call you (and still call you) many times a week. You have never once made me feel crazy. Rather, you validate my emotions even though they might seem a little overdramatic. You go on and on about random things that half the time don’t make any sense, but those stories are often times the best part of my day. You are truly one of the best people I know, and the best big brother I could have asked for.
Henry and Gus: you guys make life fun. You may not appreciate how excited I get when you do things like score your first touchdown, ask a girl to homecoming, or get your first letter from a college. Just know, that I am so proud of both of you. I know you are guys, and in the tradition of “guy-dom,” aren’t big on emotions, but this past year, you guys have been better to me than you will ever know. I know that no matter what, you two will always have my back. And if I ever need someone to score a touchdown for me, I’m coming to you.
To my little Q bug. Thank you for getting so excited to see me whether I’ve returned from six months away at college, or six minutes away at the store. You love everyone with your whole heart. You are kind to everyone even if they are not kind to you. You are my little buddy, you always seem to understand, and you always make me feel better.
We are a large family and with that comes some chaos; I have come to embrace that about my wonderful crew.
I know a young girl who took a picture of her puffy face and red eyes, saved it and sent it to her parents. Seems a bit odd, but a year later, that same sad picture makes her smile. It reminds her of what she has come through. It reminds her of her family who helped her make it. And it reminds her that she has made it through another year — a tough year, but a good year. Now, that’s really something to be thankful for.
