From childhood to today, the large majority of my family has been living in Michigan. My father stationed here in Texas for the military from even before my birth, so I never truly lived in Michigan.

Being born here in Arlington and living here for my almost 16 years of life. I grew up as an only child and longed for companionship from from siblings that lived with the rest of my family in Michigan.

I have a pretty strong memory of my childhood, and I remember every year my parents and I would travel by car to Michigan at least for summer or winter breaks.

Constant breaks on the highway, an open window of a breeze and the Missouri mountains cutting us off from any connection of the outside world. In my childhood always thought about how boring traveling by car can be, but now I look back and think about how beautiful scenic memories.                      

It always took us two days to drive to Michigan. The first day we would leave in the early morning and stop in Missouri, then leave the next morning all the way to Michigan. Along the way, there were so many restaurants I adored and loved to go to. It’s a nice to experience new cultures and foods while we traveled through the country.

I would notice that moving into a new state, the weather always seemed to grow a little colder across every state. As we reached Ohio, the temperature dropped more and more. Michigan became a whole new experience for me. Snow, ice, cold weather. Nothing like the warm Texas I knew.

We would then drive to my grandmother’s and stay there. The whole family would come over to see us, or we would drive around Michigan to see our families.

I always felt uneasy around my family, I still am. For family, I don’t see them that often. Once every year, sometimes I get phone calls, or cards for the appropriate holidays and birthday.

It also makes me uncomfortable to be around my father’s side of the family. Constant complaining and making problems of the littlest things. While they can be fun to be around, it’s hard to stand them for very long. My mother’s side of the family is very different. They are calmer and more caring, but I still feel uneasy. It’s hard to be comfortable around people you only see one to two times a year.

We stayed only due to my father being stationed here, but once he retired we stayed. Texas is much nicer than Michigan. The air is fresh and crisp, the blue sky and clouds, and the bipolar temperature that’s always so mischievous, Michigan has none of that.

I cannot deny that it can be lonely having very little family here. But in those small moments that I can see them, it’s nice to cherish every moment I have with the family I rarely see.