March 13, 2008

…….I have great friends who have been brought up in loving, dedicated, scrupulous, Christian families. As for everyone in my grade, though, that’s a different story. You see, there is this girl who recently started sitting with my friends and I at lunch. She’s not exactly the nicest or most agreeable person, but she’s still a person. There is another girl in my grade who pretends to be friends with her, but is really only using her. I don’t think that’s right, because it is important to be friends with people for the right reasons.
Anyways, the girl was sitting right in the middle of our group at lunch today. I’ll admit that none of us were happy about it, but it’s not the worst thing that could ever happen. I mean, in the end, my friends and I are happier people than she is, so why not be nice to her and let her sit with us? Not everyone has a kind, loving family, so not everyone has a good foundation. But values are important, and they last a lifetime.

Believe it or not, the girl taught me a lesson. You should be nice to everyone, no matter who they are. No matter how hard any situation is, you have to learn to practice good values and deal with it. I learned that I need to pick friends for the right reasons. I have the freedom to choose my own friends and the self-assurance to not come off as fake or untrue. Ultimately, friendship must be genuine. It cannot be based on using or pity, or else you are not being fair to either of you. Yes, you can show kindness toward someone and have a positive impact on their well-being, but the truth still stands: friendship must be genuine.

Yours truly, Me

March 14, 2008

Okay, I said a lot in yesterday’s entry, but there’s something that I didn’t say—what friendship can be based on. The list is a pretty long one… kindness, compassion, confidence, trust, understanding… and ultimately love. Also, it is possible to feel bad for someone and still be their friend, as long as pity isn’t the foundation of the friendship. This is not the case with the girl I mentioned before. But it is with another individual—Beth.
It’s true that the flames have died down, and things have somewhat blown over. Life appears to be back to normal, but really, is it? No. I don’t think so. And neither does anyone else. There are definitely still some hard feelings, as the tension didn’t just magically disappear. But I still think there’s hope. There has to be. After all, by now I have learned to tell the difference between a friend, an acquaintance, and a foe. Beth is a friend.

I see that, Julie sees it, but what about the others? True, they’ve been hurt by Beth, but can’t they give her another chance? They’re all good people, and I think it’s sad that they would consider ending a friendship due to some stupid mistakes made by a well-meaning person. Julie is a true friend because she stayed by Beth’s side through the storm.
My mom, as well as Julie’s mom helped out at the Hunger Meal at school today. She was talking to my mom, and even told her how Julie felt about the whole Beth thing—Julie was sad that everyone else didn’t want to be Beth’s friend anymore. Mom talked about me, and Julie’s mom talked about Julie. No surprise they found out how much we had in common. I always knew I was a lot like Julie, as we’re both unique, intelligent, creative individuals. We both love to write.

But unfortunately, we’re both shy as well, so that makes things a little difficult. Julie’s mom suggested that we get together sometime, and I think that is a great idea! A really great idea! But that’s all it is now—an idea. However, I’ve made ideas realities before, so I can in this case too. I’ll invite Julie over sometime. And who knows, maybe I’ll even let her read one of my journal entries. Perhaps this one!

Your friend, Me

March 31, 2008

Do you know what’s really hurtful, pathetic, stupid, unfair, and just downright pointless? It’s when a group of people pretend to be friends with someone. I’ve talked about it before, and I still feel very strongly about the issue. A lot of times people “include” (notice the word is in quotes) a person in their clique, but don’t put their heart and soul into the friendship. It may be because the person is popular, or because they have cool stuff, or because they have some kind of authority. Or maybe it’s because the person is pitiful, and people can’t help but feel bad for them. That really bites.
I take friendships very seriously, and I don’t want anyone to go through meaningless ones.

Think about it this way—God intended for all of us to meet special people who would leave footprints in our hearts. And sometimes we have to keep looking to find those people, because they are out there. This reminds me of the saying, “best friends are like four-leaf clovers—hard to find but lucky to have.” It speaks the truth. You just can’t lose faith in the essence of true friendship. If you do, life loses some of its meaning.

Yours truly, Me

April 8, 2008

…..I have to find greater happiness in reality. I know how to come out of my shell and be the real person my friends have grown to know and love. I know how to manage social situations. And I think I know what it means to be truly in love with a boy. (Daniel.) But my fantasies never go away. And to be honest, I don’t want them to either. For daydreaming is an important part of my life, as it always has been.
The thing is, however, I’m no longer in 1st grade anymore. I’m far past 6th grade too. Even so, I always feel more comfortable daydreaming than in a group of people. But if I always lived my life like that, daydreaming in the midst of fate, of what was meant to be, I wouldn’t get nearly as much out of life. If that was all I did this year, then who knows what I would be like? I wouldn’t know what it means to discover good, quality friends created by God above who open my eyes by sharing their viewpoints and personalities.

I wouldn’t know what it was like to forgive someone for wrongdoing, and become friends again after a fight. I would never get to experience the joy of going to a birthday party, or sharing my poems. Inside jokes would be obsolete. Laughter would be rare. That’s how life would be without friends, if I never found the valuable treasure of friendship.
After a while, I’d start to feel lonely. In the end, I would have regrets. So the matter is, I’m not going to let that happen again. Even though I sometimes think life would be easier without commitments or responsibilities, it definitely wouldn’t be better. For I care about my friends as they care about me. I am willing to make sacrifices for them, and be there when they need me the most. I know they would do the same. And by keeping the promise I made to myself, I really gained a lot. I learned to cherish what I have while it is with me. And by doing this, I realized that it will never be completely gone.

Your friend, Me

June 7, 2008

Today, one of my friends had a birthday party. I had a really awesome time hanging out with my friends. When we went swimming, I was the only one who wouldn’t dive into the pool. You could tell that I wanted to, but I was still afraid. You see, I know how to swim, and if I were stranded in a lake, I could stay afloat for a little while. But I’m definitely not a strong swimmer. My friends know this, but they also knew how much I wanted to dive in. So as I stood at the edge of the pool, unable to take a step forward, one of my friends asked, “Do you want me to push you in?” I nodded. When she did, I realized that there was nothing to be afraid of.
So when another girl shoved me in after that, I was prepared. Besides, I wasn’t the only one that she pushed in the pool. But to be honest, I think I was the one who needed it the most—not necessarily from that girl, but from my friend. For true friends give you a push when you need it.

When they know you can swim, but just can’t muster up the courage to dive in, they give you a little push in the right direction. Then, you realize what you were missing out on the whole time, and you never let that opportunity go to waste again. Overall, true friends help you to overcome your fears so you can become a stronger person. I guess this has happened many times this year, and it will happen several more—-my friends taught me more than I could ever know alone, even if they weren’t always right. But that is why I trust in God above all else.
However, I never let them drag me down when they were wrong, because I knew that I could trust in myself to have good judgment. But without my friends’ support, I wouldn’t be the girl that I am now. Besides, even if friends aren’t always right, as long as they are kind, dedicated, caring, and with good intentions, then chances are, they’re pretty awesome people. I know that my friends are, and I don’t know what I could do without them.

Your friend, Me

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Author guidance for This work

A few of my journal entries regarding the matter of friendship.

updated Jun 27 '09 by SaveTheUnicorns