The Gift of a Friend

Remember how hard it was to be a teenager? Those high school days were the worst. You were always trying to fit in and say the right thing at the right time. You were never sure what to wear or how to do your hair. Your body changed overnight. It was a very confusing part of life.

In the second half of Grade 11, the world’s best gift arrived at my school, Marla. Marla is the kind of person who brings out the best in everyone she meets. She finds fun hiding in every corner. She is wickedly smart and is eager to understand everything there is to know. From the day I met Marla, my life was brighter.

It is funny to think back to all of the people in my life who have said, ” I think I changed you the most!” Boyfriends, family members, friends, it has happened so many times that I have lost count. Is that something people say to others often or was it just me?

I could never agree with them. Truly, I hated when someone said that. It took me years to realize why. They didn’t change me! Perhaps they inspired me to uncover a new part of me. But change me? No!

Even if they said, “I think I helped you become comfortable and confident in yourself more than anyone else!” They still would have been wrong. That title belongs to Marla.

Marla and I went on endless adventures together. We snuck a sandwich maker into the school to make grilled cheese sandwiches and distracted the custodian when he smelled “smoke”. We stealthily attempted to take naps in the library without the librarian noticing. We went to cottages and made up the most ridiculous games. We would drive around town singing at the top of our lungs and dancing wildly to the worst hits of the 2000s. We even shared a locker even though our school was only at half capacity and there were plenty of lockers to go around. It was far more fun to be together than to be apart.

When Marla was around, you didn’t care about what others were thinking about you, you were just caught up in the joy of being yourself. Your true self!

Twenty-six years later, we are still in each other’s lives. Just recently, Marla came to visit me. We had a week of reminiscing and creating new memories to cherish. The best part of her visit was that my daughter had the gift of Marla added to her life too.

Marlowe’s Writing for Today:

She discovered that you could actually use the chocolate Pocky snack to write with. This is her poem in adoration of the delicios Pocky treat!

“Hello” <–Written with Pocky

Oh Pocky, so beautiful you can hang it on a wall. So tasty, you can’t share. So smart, you can write with it.