Ohana.

There's something so special about seeing life in it's most fragile state. We forget how delicate this life really is and how fast it can be taken from us. In a moment's notice someone we love can be diagnosed with cancer, injured in an accident, or leave this earth without warning.

We aren't given a time limit.

Say "I love you" whenever you get the chance.

Let people know how much they mean to you.

And never, I mean NEVER let a moment pass without saying how you feel.

I was luck enough to go with my whole family this thanksgiving weekend to go see my grandma one last time before she passes away. She was diagnosed with a heart condition that puts her at risk of having a heart attack at any given moment. She could make it until next summer or not make it through the night. It's completely left to chance.

5 days.

 All 18 of us.

It was crazy.

chaotic.

sometimes messy.

&

almost more then I could take.

But..

it was one of the most memorable trips.

Spending time with the people I love most is somehthing I never regret.
&

I learned a lot about life in those 5 days.

First.

Life is too short.
Too short for anger and grudges.
 Too short to be anything but happy.

Second.

There is an unspoken bond between sibling. We fight, and yell and make fun of eachother, but at the end of the day, we always defend each other. And to the outside world, we all grow old. But not to my brothers and sister. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time.

Third.

Children are contemptuous,  irritable, envious, sneaky, selfish, lazy, timid, liars and hypocrites, quick to laugh and cry, extreme in expressing joy and sorrow, especially about trifles, they'll do anything to avoid pain but they enjoy inflicting it.  They test my patience and my tolerance, and they're sometimes too much to handle.

 But my neices and nephews are my bridge to heaven.

Little angels brought into my life to love and be loved.

Fourth.

Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family.  Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted. Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family.  Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. 

Thank you God for a house full of people I love.