I was always told that family comes first, and this has always been true for me. I believe family is important and that they are the support I need in life. My family has shaped me into the person I am today. They have been there for me through the ups and downs and I know they will continue to be no matter what. My mother, father, sister, and grandparents, and so many more, have all encouraged me to succeed and they are my family and who I go to for support and guidance when I need it.

Although my family is nowhere near perfect, I wouldn¡¯t trade them for anything. We¡¯ve had our ups and downs, especially through divorces and such, but it just made us the strong family we are today. No matter what obstacle is thrown in our way, we overcome it because that¡¯s what families do; they fight through the hard times, stick together, and, eventually, it will get better. When my mother and stepfather got divorced, both my mom and dad were by our sides the entire time. They both sat us down and explained to us what was going on and helped us through the whole divorce. Not many families can say their mom and dad still get along after a divorce but luckily mine do and they stick together when hardships arise. Families are your support, whether it¡¯s financially or emotionally; they are always there. For some people, it is hard to understand the concept of supporting each other and I¡¯m lucky to have a family who values it.

Without family, I don¡¯t know where I would be in life. They continue to give me unconditional love; and everyone needs some kind of love to live. Love in my family is very strong, and it should be in every family. When hard times arise, it¡¯s the love from your family that helps you overcome hardships

One of the things that means the most to me is the amount of support I received from my family throughout my career in sports in middle school and high school. A lot of my fellow peers didn¡¯t have families come to their games to cheer them on, but my family was at every single one of my games cheering me on whether we won or lost and it always meant a lot to me. I felt bad for the ones who had no one there for them and felt lucky to be able to look up in the stands and see my mom, sister, dad, and grandparents¡¯ faces.

Family has persevered with me through the ups and downs; therefore they never let me down no matter how tough times get. My family is my support system and got me to where I am today. I lean on them when times get hard and they do the same with me. I believe family is the most important thing in my life.