There are many quotes that stand out to people, quotes that have such an impact. The other day, I was scrolling through the internet and this quote by Eleanor Roosevelt popped up: “Many people will walk in and out of you life, but only true friends will leave footprints.” I found this quote at the right moment, at the right time; it could not be more relevant and I thought I'd share.

Friends come and go, and it is important to acknowledge that. We should not dwell on what we have lost but celebrate what we have and will gain, even when it comes to friendships. In high school, I wanted to have many friends and I did. These friends, however, were not leaving their "footprints." I was finding who I was as well as beginning to crack open my shell and try new things, but because of that, I was also losing friends in the process. I could never understand why.

I was still hanging out and having fun with my friends, but I always felt as though something was missing and I just couldn't figure out what it was. I would constantly tell my mom, “I have a lot of friends but not any true friends,” and she would always tell me that I would find them someday. I wanted to believe her, but it was hard to accept that I was losing these friends. Referring back to the quote, though, it makes sense now. That one word, "footsteps," really began to stand out.

The journey of finding those friends that would leave footprints was not an easy one. I had my group of friends that were leaving those footprints, at the time though, I was so involved within a relationship and only spent my time with that person. These friends were taking it the wrong way and I lost many of those people who were once so close to me. I started hanging out with another group of friends through association. We were always together, because of that i trusted in many of these friends. I thought I had finally those friends to leave those footprints. It was not until they all began to turn their backs against me that I realized these were not my friends, instead they were just people I hung out with. Friends don't turn their backs to those in need.

I hated feeling like I did not have that group of friends that could leave an impact. I did not want to make others feel the same. I began wondering what exactly these footsteps were and how I could go about leaving them in other people's lives. It was not until I came to college that I began to understand what is meant about those that leave these footprints not only in your life, but in your heart as well.

My dad would always tell me, “The older you become, the smaller your circle of friends will be.” Although I feel as the opposite happened with me, I understood what he meant. Of the many friends that I have now, only very few are those friends who will leave footprints.

Now, I have those footprints and will continue to do so. Those that leave footprints are those who motivate you, push you beyond your comfort zone, make you laugh and cry at the same time, will answer your call or text no matter what time of the day it may be; more importantly though, they are the friends that will be there for you through thick but especially through thin. I now have these friends who have left such deep footprints in my life that I could never forget them.

I have come to learn that your friends really are a reflection of yourself. I found the majority of these friends when I joined my organization. My advice is to get involved with something you are passionate about and meet those lifelong friends through that channel. Having similar interest allows you to find a common ground.

So why does all of this matter? If anything, the one thing I would want readers to take out of this would be the quote, “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints.” This can be applied to anyone -- near or far, young or old. Friends will come and go, but if they go, do not dwell on it. I have learned it only makes the situation worse. Appreciate the memories made, the laughs shared, and just know things happen for a reason. Embrace the new friends that are to come, make new memories, and share new laughs. More importantly, though, leave your own footprints in someone else’s life. Even small gestures can go a long way; you never know what your friends are going through. Be the friend who stays and the friend who leaves their footprint. I like to call it a “friend print.” Leave your friend print.