Today is Eid-Ul-Adha. It marks the beginning of a new year in the Islamic calendar and the ending of Hajj which is basically Islamic pilgrimage. Coming from a country in the Middle East, today was a big day for me. This time, last year, I was busy helping mom with all the family reunion parties and cleaning my room just so that the guests who visited us got the picture of me being the “not so notorious, trouble-free” girl. However, this year, the story was a little different. Keeping aside the fact that it was not even half as bustling as a regular Eid day back home, I actually got a realization of how important family is. Since breakfast is a major event on Eid days, I decided to wake up slightly earlier than usual and get to the Earhart dining court for breakfast. Since my friends hit the bed pretty late the previous night, I decided it was best to let them sleep. So there I was, sitting at some random booth, munching on my hash browns and thinking of how different my life had become! Soon enough, tears made their way into my eyes; not because I was not with my family (even though I wish I was!) but because I had taken my family for granted for so long! I always knew that they were there to cheer me up when I was down. They never let me down, never said my decisions (good or bad) were wrong. In short, I could always count on them for always being there for me. Festivals are usually responsible for getting the entire family together and they usually end up strengthening the bond between two family members. Today, I may not have been with my family, physically, but the realization that I got gifted with today was far more important for me. Being in college, there will be times when we wish to go back to our loved ones but we don’t get to do that very often. So instead of moaning about not being where you want to be, take some time to think of what those people and more importantly, those relationships mean to you. It truly improves your ability to appreciate those around you! :)
I definitely know how you feel and I also miss my friends and family back home. I feel like this semester has gone by pretty quickly but there have been many times where the days (and weeks) feel so long and I wish that I was back home to see many familiar faces. I still keep in touch with high school (and some middle school) friends through text messaging and Facebook. I also call my mom every night so that helps me get through some bad days. I feel like even though I communicate with my friends and family, it would be much better to actually be with them in person. In terms of getting the family together, I usually drive up to San Francisco with family during every other Christmas to have a big family reunion and celebration. Thanksgiving break is coming up soon, so that will be the first time that I go home since I arrived here at Purdue. Also there are only four or five more weeks of the semester until Winter break and that 2 or 3 week vacation will be a great time for everyone to relax and be with friends and family. (ENGL 106)
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