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 Nicky or Smelly Susan.
In fifth grade your idea of a good friend was the
person who saved a seat in the back of the bus for
you.
In sixth grade your idea of a good 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 good friend was the
person who let you copy the social studies homework
from the night before that you had forgotten about.
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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 finished and broke out in 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 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, 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 you and
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 eighteen years of memories you were leaving
behind, and finally on those last days of childhood,
went out of their way to come over and 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 eighteen years, and, most important, 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 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 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 even
when they are sad, helps you become a better person,
and, most important, loves you!
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