Pelos pais e amigos

For family and friends

Last November, I wrote about how no one is an island. Writing more along that line crossed my mind for today. The family and friends that surround me make me who I am. I would not be the person I am today if not for those people around me. I am grateful every day for those people that I call my family and friends.

Or I thought maybe I could write about one of my favorite phrases/ideas from my mission – você é da casa (you are of the house). It means you are a welcome part of the house, just like family. So many of the homes I went to in my last area told my companion and I that, that I just figured they said that to everyone. Until I found out they didn’t. We were attending a baby shower at a home that frequently told us we were part of the house. Some of the guests arrived, people I thought would’ve been just as welcome as we were at that home. Except they were treated like guests while we were treated like family. There was a difference.

As I have my home now, there are people who are guests, and then there are those that are just part of the house. My home teachers, nice young guys that they are (oh how young they are), are guests. I cleaned (read- hid the mess back in the bedroom) before they came this afternoon. They were welcomed into the living room, and that was as far as they were welcomed.

But I also have friends who, while I probably will straighten up before they come over if I know they are coming, I’m not going to stress about it. They can stop by unannounced as well. They are welcome to go wherever they need to in my home, such as the kitchen, and aren’t expected to just stay in the front room. These friends might as well be family for how welcome they are in my home. They’re just part of what makes my house a home.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised a few days ago when a friend of mine came over and, without me even noticing, went into the kitchen and got a glass of water from the fridge, just like they always do. I even started to ask them if they wanted something to drink before noticing they already had something. They said they were just at home. And they were right, ele é da casa now. I like that.42D

Hmmm. Seems like I was going to actually write about something else today, but this will do.