At this moment, I’m at peace. I’m back in Chicago and I’m in my ma’s living room basking in solitude. I’m enjoying the window view of blue skies and green trees.

I’m so happy to be home with family. It’s funny throughout this blog, I’ve complained about being stuck and feeling imprisoned in this place yet I missed home like crazy when I was in Baltimore.

I realize that I  need to cherish my family and focus on their positives. I need to relish in my sister’s hugs no matter how annoying it gets after the 100th time in the same day. I certainly missed them when I was away. People just don’t hug people they just met. I went from several hugs a day to virtually none. This had a detrimental affect on my health due to the fact that we need at least 4 hugs a day to survive.

Yes. Hugs are very important.

Over the past few weeks, I came to the realization that my taking a job on the east coast (Boston or D.C.) would mean no family. That would be my biggest challenge. I’ve always considered myself a free spirit and would take a job anywhere in the world but I’ve discovered that I value family and close friends tremendously. I’m really going to miss the convenience of visiting my aunt by train or having an impromptu dance party with my siblings.

I guess the saying that “you don’t know what you had until it’s gone” speaks truth. I’ve taken my family and home for granted. Now that I’ll be leaving, I really see the value of their influence and presence in my life.

Fortunately, I’ll only be 2 hours away by plane. I could visit them and they can come see me as well. And in the meantime, I will live in the moment. Right now, I’m with family so I’ll hug and kiss, dance and annoy, talk and laugh until I have to leave them.

I encourage you all to appreciate those close to you. You’ll never know when life will take you away from them.

Esther