FAMILY

Family means a lot to most people. In the past people had bigger families than today. Four to seven kids was the normal amount. Now people are stopping themselves from having such a big family, because financially is very expensive to raise children. Having a family can stop people from reaching their full potential in life. Most people wait until they reach the age of thirty to have children. Having a family takes a lot of responsibility and a lot of energy.

My family isn’t a big family I say it’s more of a medium size family. My dad and my mom have been happily married for Thirty years. They migrated from Mexico to the United States to have a better life and for us to have more opportunities. My parents had to give up many of their dreams to raise us. Raising us was their greatest achievement. I have a younger sister, an older sister, and to older brothers. We all keep in touch every day. For me my family means more to me than anything else in the world. My most precious memories come from my family. Growing up and seeing my older brother come back from his deployments were the best memories of my life. Witnessing my younger sister graduate from high school is another great memory. When my brother won his first place metal in a marathon all of us united and celebrated his great achievement. My older sister having her daughter and my mom becoming a grandmother are all great memories that I cherish very much. Now all of brothers and sisters have grown up, they all now have families of their own.

I consider my wife’s family my family as well. They also feel that family is very important. When people have lost something or they need something they can trust in their families. Pets are a part of family to. As a child I had a German Shepard he was like a brother to me. I played and even talked to him when I felt lonely. The day he died I was heartbroken for weeks. I believe that even friends can become part of people family. Family is such a strong word that means a lot to people all over the world. Things in life like cars, money can never replace any of your family members.

Materialism

                I agree with the second writer. The holiday season is not too materialistic. Most people express their love on Christmas or any other holiday by giving gifts. I feel that giving a gift to any child or adult, who has never received a gift on Christmas will benefit them greatly. I donate a gift every Christmas to whoever may need it. By donating, I hopefully made a child smile, and for me that feels very good. In the past, I didn’t receive many toys on Christmas. At the most, I received one or two a year. When I was given a present it made me feel happy, and full of joy.

                On the holidays, my family usually buys all gifts in advance. My parents and my older sister take turns every year buying presents. They don’t buy massive amounts of toys, but they buy what they can afford. Sometimes present buying becomes very hectic, because of my parent’s and sister’s budget. I step in and help with the shopping too. My older brothers have children of their own, so they usually buy presents for our mom and dad. My in-laws have a better plan for buying presents.  They buy everything well in advance, and they have a Christmas jar that they put money into. When Christmas is near they use the money they have collected for presents. My friends deal with present buying way worse. Due to their busy schedules, they only have time to buy presents three or four days before Christmas. For them, the holiday season is sometimes stressful and hectic.

                The holiday season is a very hectic season. Buying presents for your loved ones is something to look forward to every year. Buying presents should be an enjoyable thing to do. Giving your loved ones presents will always make them smile, and will show them that you care.

Opinions

Opinions

Growing up in Madera, California, most people drove small cars instead of trucks.  My wife is from Oakhurst, California, near Yosemite National Park. In Oakhurst and the surrounding small country towns, most people drive four wheel drive trucks. I always thought that owning a small car was better than a large truck.

The landscape that she grew up in was a perfect climate to own a truck. It was in the mountains, and the terrain up north is perfect. In the winter it snows a lot, and makes it difficult to drive a small car anywhere. In the summer, camping is a popular activity. Most places where the locals choose to camp, the terrain is too rugged for a car to get there. Although I grew up in a town only an hour away from her, the climate and terrain were very different. Madera mainly consists of flat land, and does not get snow in the winter. Owning a truck in that area seemed to be foolish to me. It cost more money to fill up a gas tank in a truck compared to a small car, and small cars are easier to maneuver. For a long time my wife and I only had a small car. Throughout that time we have been put in a lot of different situations where we needed a truck. When we were moving, there was no way to haul our furniture. We frequently took trips to her hometown to visit, and weren’t able to go camping because our car would not make it up the roads. We were not able to buy furniture for our new apartment because it would not fit in the car. Also, there was not enough room in our car for all our friends and family to ride with us. These situations made me reconsider my choice of vehicle. 

About two months ago, I decided to purchase a four wheel drive truck. We are both very happy, and it has been very useful to us. In my opinion, it is worth the extra gas money, and has gotten easier to maneuver. My opinion has changed about trucks. Now I think owning a truck is better than a car.