Like every family, my family has always had ups and downs, happiness and sorrow. My family has always been united and a whole. Unlike other unfortunate children, my parents are together and have always shown my siblings and I appreciation. My parents have always been very traditional and have taught us manners and how to be talented and educated children. But most importantly, theyve taught us that family always comes first over anything. A day after my fourteenth birthday, my family and I were getting ready to go to Mexico for winter break.
We were all excited to finally go to Mexico and be with our family members for the holidays. However, the mood in my house changed in an instant. My mom has always been home and there for us when we need her. She has always been less strict and firm than my dad, but she still demands respect. Both my mom and dad have given us full trust in return for our respect and behavior. But at that moment, my eldest sister forgot everything theyd taught us. My eldest sister was twenty-one at the time. She went to Cal State Fullerton, was in her last year of college, and was said to be a mature adult.
However, my parents found out that she was lying to them. I remember the date being December 19 when the truth was revealed. After months of lies, my parents found out that my sister was going out with a man who would bring no benefits into her life. The man she was seeing had no education above high school, was divorced, and had a daughter. The problem was that back in May my parents had already prohibited her from seeing him anymore. She apologized to my parents and promised that she would end her relationship. Seven months passed by and apparently she didnt.
For my parents, sister, and I, her lie was a major offense because weve always been there for each other, no matter what. Part of the problem was the guy she was seeing, but what really felt like a betrayal was that she threw away all the trust we had as a family. That night of December 19, when my parents found out, they had mixed emotions. They were heartbroken, yet very angry. My dads first reaction was to give her the option of leaving the house or ending her relationship. Her decision was very shocking for me, but she decided to leave immediately after the argument.
I didnt think that my dads decision was wrong. I actually respected his opinion because I felt like she took for granted what my parents had done for us throughout the years. After my sister left, we had a conversation as a family. We agreed and realized that it was her decision. My dad said that he was very upset and disappointed, but that he wouldnt give up on my youngest sister and I. As a family, we agreed that we had to keep on going and move on. However, she was still part of our family and had our blood.
Everyone makes a mistake at some point in life and we couldnt turn our back on her even after her mistake. About three days after she departed, one of her best friends called to let us know that she was fine and now living with the same guy. After the argument or dilemma, we didnt have much enthusiasm to go to Mexico anymore, but my mom persuaded us to go. She insisted that it would be an extraordinary way to forget about the problem for a moment. The trip was awkward because everyone asked about my sister. My parents didnt want the problem to be known, so they lied and said that she was working and couldnt go.
Our break in Mexico was an unforgettable experience and I am thankful that my dad accepted my moms recommendation. When we returned from our trip, we heard nothing from or about her. A year has passed by since the dilemma and she is barely starting to talk to my parents. My parents and my youngest sister are trying to get along with her again. I, on the other hand, am not so sure about how I feel. I sometimes want to take my dads advice and talk to her again, but sometimes I dont. Sometimes I feel rage and anger because she preferred someone, who tomorrow will probably not be there, over her own blood.
I miss her, I really do, she was my sister, my role model, and my partner in crime. But she didnt care that she was everything for me or that I gave her all my trust. Sometimes I think about all this and dont know if I should care or not. I would love for everything to be back to normal, but she was the reason for the days I saw my family shed tears, for the loss of hope in my life, and most importantly for me, losing trust in everyone. This moment in my life has been probably the worse of all. My sisters decisions have affected me.
Seeing my family suffer the way they did is an experience I dont want to relive. On the bright side though, I did learn an important lesson. To begin with, I learned to appreciate what our parents do for us. I also learned to always take in mind what theyve been through to be where they are for us today. This moment also helped me realize that family is more important than I used to think. We need to appreciate them and grab on to them everyday of our lives. At the end of the day, family is the only thing that will be next to you until the end.
