Lessons in Friendship

K was the first
to teach me
that I won't always
be accepted, that
sometimes, people will
push me away
when they learn who
I really am,
that I can't hate them
for it.

mL taught me that
it is crucial to accept yourself
before others accept you,
that three day long sleepovers
are only fun
with midnight episodes
of gory medical shows,
that long distance friendships
can work
when you want them to.

You are teaching me
that letting go is
alright when holding on
causes everyone pain,
that sometimes what you want
and what you need
cannot be reconciled,
that you have to learn
to want what you need
to be happy.

They have all taught me
to love myself
for who I am,
that I am always
important,
that friends come and go,
that you just have
to accept it all
and move on.

The names are removed because I don't know who reads this blog... But some people will still recognize who I'm talking about anyway. There are three people here. One from elementary school, one from junior high and one from high school. All of them have had a huge impact on my life, whether they know it or not. I really like how this assignment turned out.