Family, my Favorite Word Anonymous

My favorite word is “family”.

I grew up seeing my family slowly falling apart. My parents too often argued intensely, my dad imposed violence on my mom, and they got divorced eventually.

My dad was not there to protect me from getting hurt. My mom had no time to hold me tight when I cried from failing life tasks. My older sister was unable to listen to my problems because she was too busy taking on a new role as a guardian. My younger sister just innocently asked for an explanation of what was going on within the household. And then there was me, being torn into pieces but still trying to stay strong so I would not be a burden to my family.

I never understood the meaning of family, yet I have learned of its importance. In my own dictionary, family is defined as people who will stand by me when the whole world is against me, guide me through the ups and downs of life, and turn the frown on my face into a smile; yet I never truly experienced it. I just know that family has a significant impact in my life, and that as soon as my family was broken, nothing can ever replace the huge loss.

I realized from my own experience that a child can never be fully happy without feeling loved by his or her family. So “family” becomes my favorite...