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 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.

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 into tears.

In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went 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 18 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, alot of
memories, 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 on to those friends of the past, and those of the future...and those 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.