I'm alive. Thank God!

[verysimple]

Very glad to hear you're alive [MENTION=21000]verysimple[/MENTION]! These kinds of near-death experiences can really affect our view of life and, like you say, give us a new perspective on what's of value.

I don't know what to say about the friends that haven't replied to you. Maybe they don't care as much as you want them to. Maybe they're busy with their own lives. Maybe they haven't seen the texts? (Personally, I don't think texting should be used to try and communicate anything of importance. Make a phone call or an email.)

As for your family, I think your assessment is correct. They lack communication skills and emotional development. I know it is difficult not to obsess about them -- my family was very much like that as well -- we want to have a good relationship with them, to have their love and respect. Unfortunately, some of us don't get the families we want. We have the life-challenge of learning to live with the families we have. That or we have to learn to live without them.

But you're right. All of us tend to get emotionally caught up in things that are of little importance. Keep that thought!

Wait, why learn to live with the family you have or live without them? Why have to struggle and stay around them or consider yourself to be without a family if you were away?
I always say family doesn't have to be blood. The definition of family is a bunch of people who are there for you through bad times and good times... They're the people who help you and give you what you need without having to ask them to.. That's a family regardless of your blood line...

I know my family loves me they just don't know how to show it. They have a hard time communicating their feelings and often times they're delivery is sometimes mistaken for something negative when really they just mean to be caring and loving.