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 yo u.
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 forgotten.
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!