We Want To Know What Used To Piss You Off About Your Family, But You Have Since Grown To Appreciate
People love to say "blood is thicker than water" to explain the importance of family. Well blood, like family, gets under our skin — don't think too much about that simile. Basically, family members can annoy the heck out of us growing up. Though as we get older and rack up life experience, sometimes we learn to appreciate (and maybe even love) the things that family members do that used to piss us off.
So, I'd like to know: What have you grown to love about a family member that you previously passionately hated?
I'll start. My father used to lock us out of rooms where he stashed receipts dating back to 1999 and appliances he bought from Costco that were never opened. It was infuriating. When I moved into my own apartment last year with no roommates, he gifted me with many things I needed for my new place that he held onto for years. That's when I realized my dad likes to think waaaay into the future for his family. It still annoys the crap out of me, but it's how he shows his love. Now I love (or at least respect) that part of him, too.
SoulPancake / Via giphy.com
Maybe you and your sibling used to get into ferocious fights over mild things, like you borrowing a shirt from their closet without asking. It really upset you that they weren't more "easy-going." But once you got older and had your fair share of relationships with passive-aggressive partners who held onto their frustrations and leave you in the dark about what you did "wrong," you now appreciate your sibling for sticking up for their own boundaries and being vulnerable enough to let you know why they were upset.
Perhaps your spouse is late to almost everything. When you were still just dating, their tardiness really annoyed you and it was something that you tried to change. However after having your own experiences with anxiety and overwhelm, you learned to appreciate that at least your partner left the house instead of doing the easy thing of not leaving at all. You're married and have kids together now, and you've learned to just wait by the front door and lovingly watch your partner chaotically figure out what they need before they can finally leave the house.
Or maybe your mother used to nag the hell out of you. It got under your nerves so much, and as soon as you could you moved out. The relationship continued to be contentious, but even in your darkest moments when you felt so alone, your mother was the only person who continued to call you. She died years ago, and while you're still mourning the loss of the only person who truly understood you, you're grateful that some of her "annoying" traits live on through you. In a way, it's like she's still with you and always will be.
