Abandon Nest

I was never really a big family guy growing up. Once I hit high school I had football in the fall/winter and a job in the spring/summer so I was always gone. I spent almost no time at home, and that was normal for my family. After my brother got a car, he was always gone too. In spite of the fact that we’re only a year apart, we never really hung out. My sister, quite a few years younger than I, was too small to do the things that I thought were cool until recently, so she was out of the picture too. Parents? I didn’t hang out with them, what teenager does?
After moving out on my own, I began to realize how important the intangible relationship with your family members is. I’ve never really been that lonely while I’ve been down here because of the support and love that I get, be it in person or over the phone. My family has been very supportive since I’ve moved away, and I’m thankful to them for this.
Because of my experiences, I’ve come to feel it is of the utmost importance to keep in touch with your family when you move out on your own. You can have all your independence and freedom and responsibility and still call home twice a week. I know that talking to my brother for a half hour every couple of days really cheers me up and makes me happy. It’s something that I really can’t explain, and needs to be experienced by each person individually.
So, get on the phone and call your mom, your dad, your brother or sister. Why not call your grandma or grandpa and tell them what’s going on in your life? I’m sure they’ll be glad to hear it and happy to know that you’re doing all right out on your own (grandparents are like that). Shoot your aunts and uncles an email every once in the while and send a card on holidays. Do whatever you’ve got to do to reach out to those in your family and you’ll soon realize the emotional, mental, and physical boost they can give to your life, even from afar.