Family

As I am realizing how quickly our immersion has snuck up on me (we will be leaving in 5 days!) I find myself anxious about leaving my family for a week. I will miss them so much, and wonder how they will ever get along without me :) Of course they will get along just fine, but I started to wonder about family in the homeless population. Do they have family? Where is their family? Who do they consider to be their family? I feel fortunate to have grown up in a large family. Altogether I have 5 brothers and 5 sisters. I'm thinking if something happened to me and I lost my home or job I could easily count on my family to help me through; give me a place to live, something to eat, etc. It is very difficult for me to imagine having no family; no one to turn to when life takes you down a very difficult and unexpected path. Family to me is so precious. I love getting together for Holidays and get-togethers, or cookouts, or even just a phone call. What about the people we will encounter in Washington DC? I am curious, but also almost scared to hear their stories. I just imagine solitude and isolation. The stories will be tough to hear, but will make a permanent impact on my life. The things I take for granted (my family for one); I will surely gain a fresh appreciation for everything in my life.