Appreciation

     Reading "Arm Wrestling with My Father" by Brad Manning, it really got me thinking about how important it is to appreciate family relationships. As a kid, Manning never really understood the way that his father showed his love to him. When he was finally strong enough to beat his dad in the arm wrestling match, he realized that he didn't want to see his dad lose because that would mean he's getting old and losing strength. That was the moment he fully realized how much his father has done for him, such as carry him upstairs when he had mono, and, at that moment, he found how much appreciation he had for his father.
     As everyone's lives get busier and busier, it becomes harder to always remember to appreciate everything your parents do for you. I am so fortunate to have such caring and supportive parents, but not everyone is, and I've realized that I take them for granted a lot of times. Even if they get mad at me or I get frustrated with them, I've learned how important it is to give them my full appreciation because everyone shows love in different ways. Manning's father showed his love in a more physical manner, whereas one of the ways my parents show their love is by being very concerned about my future. There is not one way to love, so I know it is crucial to appreciate every version of love my parents show me.