I strongly believe everyone who comes into our lives teaches us important lessons. Whether those people stayed in our lives for a year or 20 years, they provided us with different ways of thinking, allowed us to view life through various lenses and taught us it is okay to let go in order to move forward. The friends I’ve met over the past two decades of my existence have not only shaped me into the person I am today but have at some point made me feel safe and loved in a world that can seem cruel.
They’ve made me believe it’s okay to be myself because only the people who truly love you don’t care how weird you are, how annoying you sound when you sing, how emotional you can be or how stubborn you can become. Each person I’ve met has contributed to my understanding of the world and has allowed me to open my mind to new possibilities. This is a letter of sorts thanking my friends of the past and present for giving me the opportunity to not only be myself, but to discover myself.
To the past
My friends of the past set the foundation for who I would eventually become today. They’ve also taught me about the type of person I didn’t want to be. Some of the people I’ve encountered were negative, bitter and made decisions that would yield horrible consequences. I didn’t want go down the same road they were going down. I wanted to become someone better. Someone I would be proud of. Not all of my past friends were bad influences on me. I also had some who I saw struggle with personal demons.
Through their own experiences, I was able to realize what it takes to be able to survive in a world that is full of people who try to break you down until you feel insignificant. Watching my friends overcome their obstacles allowed me to see that it is possible for people to make it out of darkness if they can find the strength within to pull themselves out.
To the present
Most of the friends I’ve made throughout my life, by some miracle, managed to stick by me through the thick and the thin. Having them by my side lets me believe that maybe I’m not such a bad person after all. As cliché as it sounds, I don’t know what I ever did to deserve to be surrounded by people who show me, in their own ways, what it truly means to be a friend. When I look at the friends I have today, I am able to see reflections of myself. When I look at them, I see sarcasm, humor, joy, free-spirits, love and most importantly, family.
Even though we are alike in so many ways, we love each other for our differences. We are able to learn from one another and we are able to bring aspects of ourselves that are unique into the friendship. I know I can make a fool of myself at times and also be difficult to deal with, but they manage to stand by my side and I admire them for that. They don’t mind if I get out of hand because they are able to see the type of person I can be and they can put me back on the wagon in order for me to become a better version of myself. I feel honored that I am able to call these people not only my friends, but my family.
Whether the people in our lives have tried to break us down or build us up, they have made us stronger. They’ve helped us become more aware of who we let into our lives and they have also, in some way or another, shaped us into the person we are today. To the people I have met, whether they are friends, acquaintances, classmates or family, I say thank you for being the teachers I needed to become who I am now.
Everyone you encounter has a lesson for you to learn. What lesson will you teach the people you meet?
