Dear High School Color Guard,

I am thankful for you. I joined color guard as a sophomore in high school and instantly fell in love. I pushed myself to break my own boundaries and conquer my fears under two different and wonderful guard instructors.

My first season wasn’t the best. There were people who were afraid to accept me; they were afraid that I would bring the team down. I was the weak link, but I was given the chance to get better and the people who I didn’t get along with quickly became my family.

Through out the years, people came and went. Each and every person who came in and out of the color guard made a huge impact on my life in some way. My first indoor season, many of the girls teamed up to help me work hard inside and outside of practices. This meant more to me than these girls will every know.

As I grew, the color guard became my family. I cannot remember a time during my color guard career that the 15 girls on that team didn't have my back. But there was also never a time that I wouldn't have done anything I could for any of those girls.

Through out my time with the guard, I saw girls come and go. Some girls were there when I arrived, and some of those girls left, but some of them stayed until the end of my time with them. I also got the chance to meet new girls through out my career, but no matter how long I spent with any of them, each of those girls changed my life forever.

In my last season, I spent my time with a group of girls who I formed a really close relationship with. To these girls, I became many things. I became a pseudo sister, a friend, and a mentor. It was important for me to be there for them and to let them know how much they meant to me.

I got to spend my last season passing the flag to my little sister as well. This was so important to me. It took me a long time to find a place that I fit in perfectly in high school, so finding guard was life changing. Being able to share this experience with my sister was the best, but it made me become more attached to color guard, and made it harder to let go. I regret nothing from my last season.

Girls, you are my family. There’s nothing I wouldn't do for you. When I left you, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. It was like leaving a part of myself behind, because I spent so much time learning to mesh with you and leaning to become more than a team, becoming a single moving body. When you spend time learning to feel each others impulses, learning to match every sweep and dip of the flag in perfect sync, you learn something about each other that most people will never know about you.

I am so thankful for you. You changed my life and you made me a better person. You taught me to be bold, to be myself and how to be proud of my passion. I will never be able to give back to you guys or this activity what it and you have given to me. I love you all, I love guard and I am so happy to be party of the world most loving group of seriously creepily connected people.

You are my life. And putting you behind me has been hard, but being friends with all of you has been the best. So thank you and with that I put you behind me. And I hope to see you again soon.

Love, Me.