More than just time. So much more.

While simply computing the difference in hours can perpetually confuse one, knowing that the people you love are on the other side of the country, or even on the other side of the world, wherever they are, is the hardest part.

I assume that I never realized the trouble with time zones until my parents. Yes, my parents. The utter adults I am supposed to hate with all my guts as a typical teenager, I can honestly say I love with all my heart.  Constantly traveling for business, I not only wish I was with them strolling through the streets of New York City or practicing my broken Chinese in the heart of Shanghai, but most of the time, I just wish I could call them whenever I wanted to.

Stressed with laborious school, my parents seem to be some of the only people who can, if only for a few minutes, make everything seem ok. While I am most likely one of the worst “worry warts” alive, my mother is able to, somehow, put everything into perspective. The ones who have given me an incredible education, a beautiful home, and an amazing support system, are, all of a sudden, out of reach.

It’s funny that a simple change in time can make you realize the true importance of someone. Whether parents, friends, or loved ones, I have grown to learn that we must be thankful for those we have in our lives. For while some of my friends declare that they would do anything to change their parents, the little hour hand on my tiny, silver clock has made me realize that, in all honesty, I don’t think it gets any better than what I have now.