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 Chris
or Jennifer, 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 Chris or Jennifer, 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 boyfriend/girlfriend 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...