Family Serenity

I am in my mom's room and I just realized how much I take for granted the sounds of my family in the background. My mom and her sister laughing at something silly that may have happened a long time ago. My cousins chatting and laughing about old times, stories that are recanted over and over but never get old or tiresome. Aunts making the little ones pose for pictures while laughing and thinking about how that picture will affect their adult life. I can hear the sounds of kids playing outside and listening to their simple arguments about who is going first. I can hear my aunt babying her grandson with a sound that only a loving grandmother can make. I can hear the clatter of utensils which are used for second and third servings of the yummy goodness of the festivities meal of the day. These sounds are currently muffled by a door and even though I am alone in this room, I am never alone, my family is always there. Moving away is going to be tough, as these sounds will no longer be a part of my life for awhile. I am taking it all in and appreciating every smile, every hug, every crack of laughter and every conversation. I am in this room alone, I will learn how to appreciate solitude, but in my heart, I will miss these muffled sounds, this background music brought to me by the color of my family...
Love you all...so very much. Written on 4/24/2011- S.G.Perez