Blood is thicker than water
My parents are both immigrants that came to Canada for a better life. It was the land of opportunity and a place that accepted newcomers with open arms. We came here on the guidance of our spiritual leader, the Aga Khan.
Both my parents’ families lost everything upon immigrating here. Everything that was familiar to them quickly became foreign. They started with nothing, in a country where English was their second language and their formal education wasn’t enough. Slowly but surely they made the transition.
When my mom was 23 years old, she had my eldest brother. Four years later came me, and then my youngest brother two years after that.
They worked long hours to provide for us; my mother worked in banking and my father, a math wiz, started worked for the family motel and then transitioned into the stock market and eventually worked at a venture capital firm. For much of their lives, they put work before us, only because they wanted to provide us with a quality education and the opportunities that they were deprived of.
My maternal grandmother and our mother’s brother raised us while they were busy at work. I am so grateful that we had them. My uncle was our male role-model who disciplined us and taught us the value of respect and integrity. He treated us like his own sons and still does to this day. Our bond is something that not many people can say they have with their uncle. He is like a father to me. My maternal grandmother did everything for us. She cooked, cleaned, and made sure we had everything that we wanted. She nurtured us and instilled the values of forgiveness, faith, and most importantly, love. She is the rock that keeps our family united.
My brothers and I have a very intimate relationship. We didn’t always see eye-to-eye growing up. In fact, our choices and interests divided us at times, however the fundamental appreciation of family and the values of acceptance and forgiveness always allowed us to overcome any obstacle, together. My older brother loves numbers, I love to code, and my youngest brother loves to debate. All of us are different, but we have learned to love each other in our own unique way. We know that at the end of the day, we will always have each other.
The importance of family is something many take for granted. Of course, families have problems and get into fights. It’s natural, especially when you spend lots of time together. Some choose to hold on to these conflicts for too long while others let it pass. The important thing is that in any relationship, you must never take things personally. Instead, see these opinions, thoughts, and disagreements as potentially valuable insight. Evaluate what is said and give it time to process. In many cases, from my personal experience, people draw conclusions far too quick and react inappropriately. A big part of why I have become so much more productive and happy is because I have started to listen rather than take things personally.
My advice is simple: take the time to understand rather than jump to the defense. You would be surprised by how much you learn when you open your mind to new ideas, concepts, and opinions. The reason I bring this up is because my family has taught me many valuable lessons that have served to navigate me through some of the personal challenges that I face. All I had to do was approach my interactions with an open mind. Truthfully, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support and love of my family.
