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 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 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 Nicky 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
  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 Glenn] 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 this 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.
  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.
 
below is a midi.  If you would like to hear it you must turn it on yourself =).
 
 
 
I did not write the above but I think it is quite touching and it expresses the meaning of friendship.  I dedicate this page to all those who have made a difference in my life.  To those who have laughed with me, cried with me, and who have tackled my problems(no matter how trivial or how big) with me.  Thanks for being by my side.  I am grateful for the many "kindred spirits" I've come upon so far and I am grateful for the many more I have yet to meet and get to know.  You mean so much and more...thanks ~~mayling^__^