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.

In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat at

the back of the bus for you.

In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who went up to Nick

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.

In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you

pack up your stuffed animals, but didn’t laugh at you when you finished and

broke 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], 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.

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 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.

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.

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, cares for you!