Spending time with family has always been my favorite thing to do. Of course, there are moments when they piss me off, and sometimes, I do the pissing off—especially when it comes to my younger sister and my mom. I won’t deny that I enjoy seeing their fair faces turn a little red when I annoy them. You could say that teasing my family is my unique way of expressing love. But every now and then, I also bring them small goodies—sometimes out of love, but mostly as a bribe for coming home late after spending time with my friends.
Spending quality time with my family has made me realize that I’ve picked up at least one trait from each member. Not all of them are necessarily good, but none are life-threateningly bad either. I’m not here to paint my family as perfect, but rather to share what I’ve absorbed from all our bonding moments—whether it’s watching movies together, attending family gatherings, visiting relatives, or going on occasional outings.
Let me start with my father. His calmness, reserved nature, and respect for people are qualities I deeply admire. Honestly, I don’t know how he does it. Even in the face of a crisis, he manages to remain composed. He doesn’t have many friends—aside from his eight brothers, whom we either visit or host from time to time. When it comes to respect, he treats people fairly but isn’t afraid to scold when someone's actions are too foolish to ignore. I’d like to think I’ve inherited these traits from him.
Next is my mom and her expressiveness. This woman does not hold back when she’s wronged—she will call you out on your nonsense and set clear boundaries. From her, I learned the importance of expressing my discomfort and standing up for myself when someone crosses the line or even attempts to.
Then there’s my elder sister, and from her, I think I inherited her temper. She is sweet and caring, but once she gets angry, you see the tiger in her. I try not to display this side of me, as I prefer maintaining the calm demeanor I admire in my father. However, once in a while, you need to "change am" (switch it up) for those who mistake your quietness for weakness.
Finally, there’s the lastborn—whom I see as a WiFi connection with unstable signals. She can be calm, furious, introverted, quiet, or hyperactive, all within the span of a few hours.
At the end of the day, family is everything. They shape us in ways we don’t always realize, and while they might drive us crazy sometimes, I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
IMAGES ARE MINE
My reply for hive naija weekly prompt
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Reflect on your personal relationships (romantic, friendships, family). What's the most valuable lesson you've learned from them? How has it impacted your relationships