Family

           Many people agree with the saying that the apple does not fall far from the tree, which directly correlates to my family. My immediate family is made of my parents and my younger brother and myself. Those who know the Konecky Family know that my brother is an exact miniature version of my father and I am the same of my mother. Parents try to the best of their ability to teach their children about respect, love, and individuality. I believe that my parents successfully instilled each of these qualities within my brother and I.

I believe that individuals choose the path that their life follows; however, there are many people that influence this path throughout one’s journey. My brother, mom, and dad have influenced my life in many different ways each guiding me to where I am today. I have a unique relationship with my brother, my mom, and my dad. My sixteen year-old brother, Danny and I are very different. In regards to social life, academics, and hobbies some may say we are polar opposites. Academics come naturally for Danny. He knows tons of interesting, thought provoking, and mind-boggling facts where on the contrary, I always had to study extremely hard to understand material in order to succeed in school. I admire Danny so much for everything he has struggled with and commend him for how far he has come over the years. I am more socially inclined than Danny and he looks up to me in regards to friends and relationships, just the way that I envy him for his musical skills. We bond over music, art, and other forms of self-expression. More about my relationship with Danny can be found on the Entertainment Page of this project.

My relationships with my parents individually are very distinct. As a doctor, my dad has always taught me about safety. He has thoroughly taught me about the importance of medicine and the human body. Most importantly, I have learned about respect. I know that if I ever needed help with anything or had any questions I could always ask my dad. He is the smartest person I know and I value his insightful advice and information more than anyone else.

Those who know me know about my relationship with my mom. My mom is my best friend in the entire world but I respect her as a parent. Within my mom I see myself (plus 30 years!) My mom has taught me about respect, individuality, and love. She has taught me about healthy and unhealthy relationships. I value her advice in regards to relationships, academics, and everyday life because each struggle she has dealt with in her life has made my mom stronger and more insightful. There is no other person or relationship that even compares to my mom. My mom is just as close with my grandma and the three of us are all very similar. One day I hope to be just as smart as she is. My mom and my dad have both taught me about ethics, values, and integrity.

My mom, my brother, and I have a saying that we use as a form of love. Instead of saying “I love you,” we say “I luh.” It may sound immature or whimsical for some but for us it is a sign of our love and respect for each other. I cannot remember where it initially came from, but the three of us have been saying it for many years. All of my friends know about this tradition because we always say it to one another over the phone. It is a saying filled with compassion, humor, and shows the strength of our relationships. The saying, "I luh", is a trope for the relationship my mom, brother, and i share.

Wikipedia may give a definition of family but what really determines a family? Is it emotions, biology, or just simply the people one lives with? To me family is all of the above and much more.