by Curt Kovener 
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 plain brown one.
In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat on the back of the bus for you.
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 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.
At graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who was crying on the inside but managed the biggest smile as they congratulated you.
The summer after graduation 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, 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, if we have learned anything from life, with more than a few decades of living behind us our 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.
Be thankful for having and being a friend. No matter where we go or who we become, never forget who helped us get there.
