Oranges Without Seeds.

As a family, you basically "grow" on each other. You have your mother, father, and siblings. And, then you are introduced to a whole different side of your family, your aunts, uncles, and cousins. You grow up with them, and soon enough, become extremely close.

When I was younger, I was really close with my dad's side of the family. They lived out in Cheektowaga, which is not too far, but it seemed like it at the time. For Christmas every year, we would go to my Grandma and Grandpa's house where we would be greeted by the rest of my family. As a whole family we would all play gift trading games, with pointless, and hilarious items. Some items would be more valuable than others at the Dollar Store, and the rest were just "home aid" miscellaneous things that absolutely, nobody uses. It was one of the best games I had played as a child. I remember feeling like an adult simply because I was playing with adults.

After we finished the game, and opened the presents with great caution, my cousins and I would go outside and play in the snow. It made me feel really special because they were all teenagers, and they wanted to play with me. We used to do all different activities from snowman building, to making snow angles. One Christmas, my cousin Joey added in a new game. He was taking about it as if every cool teenager did it, so, being told that, I wanted to be looked at as an older individual in my cousins eyes. When I look back at it now, I honestly don't know what I was thinking. I was young, and very gullible. And, unfortunately, I still am.

He started explaining the game, but, I was too busy thinking about how "cool" I would be. He pointed to this red pole in the middle of my Grandma's backyard. It was used to hold up her laundry in the Summer. Since it wasn't being used, my cousin found a new use for it. We quickly shuffled are way over to the pole to get a better look. He told me it was a cherry pole, and that the taste was amazing. "Just one lick!" He said. "It tastes SOOO good!!"

I looked over to my other two cousins, in hopes they would differ, but instead, they were nodding. I was so naive. In a matter of five minutes, I found myself sticking out my tongue to take a lick of the unsanitary "cherry" pole in my Grandma's backyard. As I stood inches away from the pole, my tongue was catching snow flakes. I moved in closer and closer, and soon enough my tongue was pressed against the "cherry" pole. Let me just start off by telling you, it wasn't cherry flavored, or watermelon, or any good tasting flavor. It tasted like metal. Gross, cold, rusty metal. Looking back, it wasn't such a good idea. My cousins started to laugh, and I did the opposite, cried. I was stuck to the pole, crying with my mouth wide open. Let's just say, it wasn't such a great Christmas.

That Christmas, after my tongue was rescued, we found out some bad news. My family was moving to Arizona. At the time, it was the worst thing that I have ever heard. I was so close to my cousins. (And, my grandma's "cherry" pole.) I couldn't imagine not seeing them. But, as it turns out, it was a good move. That summer they moved, and we went to go visit shortly after. Arizona turned out to be a beautiful place, and my cousins looked extremely happy there. Seven years later, they are still happy. They love it there, and so do I.

Sometimes, it is really hard to get together and find time off. But, even when we are separate physically, we are together mentally. Today, my Grandpa sent us a box full of kumquats from the tree in his backyard. When I go to Arizona, all I eat are kumquats. They are the best! My grandpa and I always pick them together if I make it in time for the harvest. Unfortunately, this year he harvested himself.

When I opened the box, it was like love was pouring out in orange form. One by one, the kumquats came rolling out, and each one I knew were handpicked with love. Kumquats are less of the mess, and the stickiness. And, the best part is they don't have seeds.

In the viewers eyes, it might just come across as an orange without seeds. But, to me it was more than that, it was love sent without the "cherry" pole. When I bit into the kumquat, I didn't get a seed stuck in my tooth, or a bad rusty taste on my tongue, I tasted love. Love without seeds.