What a friend is...
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
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 switch square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't
have to be stuck do-si-do-ing with Nasty Nick 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 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 but
didn't laugh at you when you finished and broke out into tears.
In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who would
go to a party thrown by a senior so you wouldn't wind up being the
only freshman there.
In tenth grade your 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/university, assured you that you
would get into that college/university, 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 you and Susan
were back together, you could make it through anything, helped you
pack up for university 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 give you 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 person who gives you
the better of the two choices, holds your hand 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 you 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!
Pass on to those friends of the past, and those of the
future...and those you have met along the way...[crying yet? oh
there's more]
Thank you for being a friend. No matter where we go or who we
become, never forget who helped us get there.
There's never a wrong time to pick up a phone or send a message
telling your friends how much you miss them or how much you love
them.
You know who you are, pass it on to someone who you want to
remind.
So send this to all your friends and maybe those who aren't but
just watch and see who sends it back.
If you love someone, tell them. Remember always to say what you
mean.
Never be afraid to express yourself. Take this opportunity to tell
someone what they mean to you. Seize the day and have no regrets.
Most importantly, stay close to your friends and family, for they
have helped make you the person that you are today and are what
it's all about anyway. Pass this along to your friends. Let it
make a difference in your day and theirs.
The difference between expressing love and having regrets is that
the regrets may stay around forever.