True Friends
In kindergarten, your idea of a good friend was the person who let you
have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly black one.
In first grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who went with
you to the bathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through
the scary halls.
In second grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who helped
you stand up to the class bully.
In third grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who shared
their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus.
In fourth grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who was
willing to swithsquare dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't have to
be stuck with Nasty Nicky, or Smelly Susan.
In fifth grade, your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat on
the back of the bus for you.
In sixth grade, your idea of a friend was the person who went up to Nick
or Susan, your new crush, and asked them to dance with you, so that if
they said no you wouldn't have to be embarrassed.
In seventh grade, your idea of a friend was the person who let you copy
the social studies homework from the night before that you had.
In eighth grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who helped
you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball cards so that your
room would be a "high schooler's" room, but didn't laugh at you when you
broke into tears.
In ninth grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who went with
you to that "cool" party thrown by a senior so you wouldn't wind up
being the only freshman there.
In tenth grade, you idea of a good friend was the person who changed
their schedule so you would have someone to sit with at lunch.
In eleventh grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who gave
you rides in their new car, convinced your parents that you shouldn't be
grounded, consoled you when you broke up with Nick or Susan, and found
you a date to the prom.
In twelfth grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who helped
you pick out a college, assured you that you would get into that
college, helped you deal with your parents who were having a hard time
adjusting to the idea of letting you go...
At graduation, your idea of a good friend was the person who was crying
on the inside but managed the biggest smile one could give as they
congratulated you.
The summer after twelfth grade, your idea of a good friend was the
person who helped you clean up the bottles from that party, helped you
sneak out of the house when you just couldn't deal with your parents,
assured you that now that you and Nick or Susan were back together, you
could make it through anything, helped you pack up for college and just
silently hugged you as you looked through blurry eyes at 18 years of
memories you were leaving behind, and finally on those last days of
childhood, went out of their way to come over an send you off with a
hug, a lot of memories, reassurance that you would make it in college as
well as you had these past 18 years, and most importantly sent you off
to college knowing you were loved.
Now, your idea of a good friend is still the same person who gives you
the better of the two choices, holds your hands when you're scared,
helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of you, thinks of
you at times when you are not there, reminds you of what you have
forgotten, helps you put the past behind you but understands when you
need to hold on to it a little longer, stays with you so that you have
confidence, goes out of their way to make time for you, helps clear up
your mistakes, helps you deal with pressure from others, smiles for you
when they are sad, helps you become a better person, and most
importantly loves you!
Email: cherry3484@aol.com