If we approach life with a humble attitude, treat others as we’d like to be treated, and just take things one day at a time, so many of our problems could be avoided. By nature we’re all pretty selfishly motivated, and that means we’re rarely thinking of things beyond the scope of our own reality. It’s a hard pattern to break, but one we should all be trying to get rid of every day. When I was out there, back when I was seventeen, I can see now that I didn’t truly appreciate my family like I should have. My little brother always wanted to play, throw the football around, and ride bikes with me. He wanted to be with me no matter what I was doing and it breaks my heart now because I saw it as a burden then. I just wanted to kick it with girls and do my own thing. I didn’t want to be bogged down, and yet now it’s clear to me that he and the rest of my family are the only ones still around me, still showing me love. I wish that I had understood how special it is to have them by my side back then. I’d give anything to be able to do things with my little brother now, and the same goes for my sister and my parents, but other than visiting with them in the visiting room there’s nothing I can really do. It’s amazing how much we lose out on when we act like a fool and get in trouble. I think what I’m trying to say is make sure you appreciate your family each and every day. You’re not going to have them in your life forever and you’ll sure miss them terribly when they’re gone. Trust me.