My mom said something to me the other day that made me think about the connections I’ll keep with my family as I get older.

“Janie, I’m not always going to be here to help you take care of these things,” she said.

She was speaking in reference to sending off my passport to get a new visa for Saudi Arabia.

Since I’ve been in college I have definitely become more independent. But I am not so independent to the point where I don’t need my mom and dad anymore.

A few years ago I would have never wanted to admit that. But as I grow older I’m realizing that no matter what my age is, family should always stay on the list of top priorities.

There may be distance between us, in my case over 8,000 miles, but the fact still remains that family are the ones who are always going to be there for me.

I hope I never lose the closeness I have with them now.

There will come a day when Thanksgivings and Christmases are no longer spent together. A day when I will no longer get calls on the weekends just to check in.

I’m going to try to put those days off for as long as I can. Because my family gives me a sense of comfort that no other person in the world can.

No matter how old I get, family will always come first.

Julianna Eveland can be reached at [email protected] or @janeca12 on Twitter.