People all around America celebrated Independence Day with their families on Wednesday. Families and friends alike enjoyed each other’s company, while grilling out and listening to some fine tunes before the fireworks started.

This Independence Day was nothing short of an amazing time with the people I love. 

We ate, laughed, danced, caught up and ate some more. Barbeque is one of my favorite foods. To enjoy it over great conversation with family and friends was awesome.

Since moving back to Selma, I have been making it a point to hang out with my family as much as I can.  Before moving back, I only spent some weekends and holidays with my family.

I took for granted the little things that make them lovable.

I forgot how much fun we have together just being in each other’s presence.

I was genuinely happy Wednesday, and I soaked in every little piece of happiness because I honestly missed them.

I forgot how my grandma volunteers us, her grandchildren, to do things in the kitchen or around the house during the holidays.

Of course, because we have no choice, we fall in line and follow the orders of the family’s matriarch. At 81 years-young, my grandmother still surprises me with her ability to outwork us that are more than 50 years her junior.

By the time I completed the one task she gave me, she was already done with three more things.

Needless to say, I have a lot to live up to if I’m blessed enough to ever reach her age.

My aunt Audrey never ceases to amaze me with her ability to make me laugh until my stomach hurts.

A big kid at heart, she joined the children on the water slide as we cheered her on all the way to the end of the slide. After the food and the water slide, everyone jammed out to a mixture of old school tunes and new tunes.

My mother and aunt Jackie battled it out to see who had the best Michael Jackson moves. We enjoyed cheering them on.

We had a blast, and I am grateful to have been with them yesterday. Sometimes life can go by so fast being busy with work, school and everyday tasks that we forget to appreciate and love on our family members.

So, enjoy your family, because it’s the little moments that you will cherish years from now. 

Oniska Blevins is a reporter with The Selma Times-Journal. She can be reached at oniska.blevins@selmatimesjournal.com.