I have always been one to hold on to old memories. People frequently tell me that they are amazed at my ability to remember some small piece of the past. Just yesterday a friend from high school was surprised I remembered her birthday (apart from Facebook reminders...). Remembering my past and where I've come from is important to me. I have, of course, learned many lessons along the way, but just as notably, I have had a ton of fun over the past 24 years. It's refreshing to sit back and relax and remember so many good times, so many good people that I've enjoyed growing up. There are too many people in this life that have memories that they want to ignore or scars they hope to forget. I'm extremely lucky to not find myself in that situation. Clearly, I'm not saying I'm a perfect person. But I've tried to live my life with no regrets and feel that I have been 99.5% successful. There's barely a single thing I would do over if given the chance. Even in my mistakes, there was a purpose, a lesson.
How can I not want to change a thing? Easy. There's too much to celebrate. My school experience was one to cherish. Many people are amazed to learn that I enjoyed going to a private Christian school for thirteen years. It seems strange and unfathomable to them. But it's all I've ever known. I grew up knowing everyone in my class. I grew up knowing every teacher at my school. Really knowing them, not just their names and faces. My education wasn't compromised. My opportunities weren't compromised because of where I went to school. If anything, my education was all the better. As I continue at YCP this semester, I am dumbfounded at how much more I was taught at CSY then so many other students that attended public schools. What happened to grammar education? The thirteen years I spent at CSY were great. They were far from perfect, but I never once even imagined myself going to school anywhere else. It wasn't even an option to me. The people that are in my life today are a testament to the friendships that were forged there.
As I sit here typing, its hard to wrap all the memories up in a short piece of prose. Take for instance the plethora of stories that I could tell about the Peanuts gang from Junior year. Andrea, Rachel, Juli, Roe...love you guys! Thanks for adopting me that year. It meant a lot. Good memories. Then there's yearbook. What can I even say to sum up the two awesome years creating two great books! March for Life, golf tournament, NHS skippings, Student Council skippings, yearbook photo shoots, terrible field trips, so so many field trips (especially Junior year). When did I go to classes? Senior year...Hannah, Shelley, and Sherry: you guys got me through. Remember Retrospective, Inc.? Lyss, that study hall with Kemper was ridiculous! Snake skins and shark parts got distributed to too many lockers. Speaking of which...SENIOR SPRITE LOCKER! Senior Play! I mean who doesn't remember the dramatic reading of Everyone Poops that got us through those final practices. We pulled it together and everyone said we would fail.
The Friday Night Crew continues on, now nearly seven years post-graduation. Angel, Aimee, Alyssa, and Jonathan are four of the truest friends. I'm not sure I will ever find a group of friends that will mean more to me than these guys do. And as the group has added people over the years to the point of its current 'membership', the fun has multiplied. How many trips have we been on? We are so lucky! There are some amazingly generous parents to thank too. An Excursion, an RV, and a house that made a lot of fun possible! Niagara Falls, Toronto, Jim Thorpe, Myrtle Beach, OCMD, Harpers Ferry, D.C....Here's to the next seven years!
There's those newer friends too. Kylee, Krystal, Lucas, Lauren. Some pretty amazing memories to get started...I'm sure there are many more in store. Who forgets breaking bowling lanes? or building terrible gingerbread houses/hotels? or teaching your first class? I won't!
There's those people from T.J.Maxx and Target too. There's too many to list them all. But Megan, Jen, Stacey, Stacy, and Rachelle...I love you Maxx girls.
I can't imagine my life without my friends. No man is an island. John Donne summed it up almost 400 years ago. It couldn't be more true.
Love each and every one of you guys! Thanks for always being there, yesterday and always.
we love you too!!!!!
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