FRIENDS FOR LIFE
In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let youhave 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 thebathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through the scaryhalls.
In second grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped youstand up to the class bully.
In third grade your idea of a good friend was the person who sharedtheir lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus.
In fourth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who waswilling to switch square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't have tobe stuck do-si-do-ing with Nasty Nicky or Smelly Susan.
In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat onthe back of the bus for you.
In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who went up to Nickyor Susan, your new crush, and asked them to dance with you, so that ifthey said no you wouldn't have to be embarrassed.
In seventh grade your idea of a friend was the person who let you copythe social studies homework from the night before that you had.
In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped youpack up your stuffed animals and old baseball cards so that your roomwould be a "high schooler's" room, but didn't laugh at you when youfinished and broke out into tears.
In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went tothat "cool" party thrown by a senior so you wouldn't wind up being theonly freshman there.
In tenth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who changedtheir 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 yourides in their new car, convinced your parents that you shouldn't begrounded, consoled you when you broke up with Nick [or Glenn] or Susan,and found you a date to the prom.
In twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helpedyou pick out a college/university, assured you that you would get intothat college/university, helped you deal with your parents who werehaving a hard time adjusting to the idea of letting you go...
At graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who was cryingon the inside but managed the biggest smile one could give as theycongratulated you.
The summer after twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the personwho helped you clean up the bottles from that party, helped you sneakout of the house when you just couldn't deal with your parents, assuredyou that now that you and Nick or you and Susan were back together, youcould make it through anything, helped you pack up for university andjust silently hugged you as you looked through blurry eyes at 18 yearsof memories you were leaving behind, and finally on those last days ofchildhood, went out of their way to give you reassurance that you wouldmake it in college as well as you had these past 18 years, and mostimportantly sent you off to college knowing you were loved.
Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person who gives you thebetter of the two choices, holds your hand when you're scared, helps youfight off those who try to take advantage of you, thinks of you at timeswhen you are not there, reminds you of what you have forgotten, helpsyou put the past behind you but understands when you need to hold on toit a little longer, stays with you so that you have confidence, goes outof 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 aresad, helps you become a better person, and most importantly loves you!
Pass on to those friends of the past, and those of the future...andthose you have met along the way...
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 tellingyour 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 justwatch 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 tellsomeone what they mean to you. Seize the day and have no regrets.
Most importantly, stay close to your friends and family, for they havehelped make you the person that you are today and are what it's allabout anyway. Pass this along to your friends. Let it make a differencein your day and theirs.
The difference between expressing love and having regrets is that theregrets may stay around forever.