LETS PLAY MAKE BELIEVE Mar 19 '01    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet The Bottom Line LOVE is shown through actions not just with words so put some actions behind that four letter word! Let me start by saying i'm 31 years old and i'm single with no children. However I have have lots of experience being away from home and have fond memories of how my parents helped me through. First growing up with a twin sister helped me a lot because when there was youth camp or something like that I didn't have to go alone. Most of the time if you saw one you saw both of us. There were exceptions when I went by myself as a counselor but by then I was in my late teens. Then came the day I was off to college. I was very excited to go but yet knew that I would miss my family dearly. During the preparation time of several months my mind was kept preoccupied and I didn't think much about how I was going to deal with being away from my parents let alone my identical twin sister. So anyhow I was 1500 miles away from home in which I had no choice but to figure out how to cope with out my family. My family did lots of things for me to help me from being so home sick. In which some of them are as follows. They used to send me "care packages" once a month. That would have homemade goodies that only mom or dad could make, photos that had been taken at functions or holidays during the month, dad would tape all his spare change on to a piece of card board so i would have laundry money or snack money (what's that? right?). Then they would write letters once a week or more which made me almost run to the college post office to see if I had mail. Another thing that was helpful was if it were a special occasion or maybe something traditional. My mom and me would do whatever it may be at the same time. Here's an example: say you and your son or daughter both drink coffee every morning for breakfast. So you both could set a time and every morning at what ever time that would be you both would fix your coffee and sit down and think of that special one. That would be your time together. Its not only sentimental and special but it really meant a lot to me when I was in college to think that my mom took time out of her busy schedule to participate in a similar fashion as I. Then to help me get through until Christmas time where I would get to go home. I took a roll of toilet paper and numbered each sheet. Starting with the highest number first and going to zero on the last sheet. So each day I would tear a sheet off until finally when I reached the zero I was about to get on the plane to come home. You can do many different things to help a loved one when there away from home. Lets say they are just going to be gone for a couple of weeks and its a younger child you can sneak things into their socks or pants pockets little things to remind them of your love. Little notes telling them how thought of they are and how much they mean to you. They don't have to be expensive things or lots of money spent on long distance calls. Its the thought that counts anyway right? As long as you know they arrived safely to their destination then let the simple treasures you've sent along with them be reminders. If they are grown you can send an envelope full of little notes or cute little things to remind them of your love. One for every day they'll be gone. It may take some effort but isn't it worth it? I believe LOVE is shown through actions you can tell someone all you want that you love them and care for them but if they never see you put that into actions then those words are meaningless. Now don't get me wrong I still missed my family horribly but these little things helped me get through the lonely times. I still would call them late at night when all was quiet and the lonliness set in. I would sneak down the dorm hallway to the pay phone at wee hours of the morning calling my mom and dad. Just to hear their voice was comforting but I still laugh at myself when I would call I would say to whomever answered the phone "what are you doing" what else would they be doing at 3-4am in the morning. Oh the joy's of college days! Just remember whether it the first time your loved one is away or the twentieth time. We all still get homesick for the ones we love. So be creative and send some love reminders along with them. No matter the age we ALL want to feel loved!

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