Joyce Denny's once said, “Living in a small town... is like living in a large family of rather uncongenial relations. Sometimes it’s fun, and sometimes it’s perfectly awful, but it’s always good for you…” I find this to be so true about Licking.
That small town really all did grow on us. We always said we were like one big family, and maybe that’s what happens when you spend 10-plus years together.
It is funny to think that even after all those nights of driving around town and hanging out at the school, it would be like this when we graduated. One kid after graduation even said as he was leaving, “Now we can all stop being fake friends to each other.” Honestly, I don’t think any of us ever really meant to be fake, we just spent the majority of our time together and that made us close.
Maybe we all weren’t the best of friends, but when it came down to someone needing something, you can almost guarantee you’ll have a whole town to support you. It was amazing to see our small town come together in times of need. Thankfully I never had one of those, but just seeing the support kept me positive and I thank the people of Licking for that. I think those times are what really made us family, because we didn’t all need to be best friends to know when someone needed help.
It is kind of sad that we aren’t all friends anymore, and I really don’t think that would be practical. I’m also so thankful for the time we had together and the lessons you guys taught me.
We weren’t the best of friends in that small town of Licking, but we did have the BEST friends.
Now onto my BEST friends: Thank you.
Thank you all so much. I am so happy that we are still friends even if we are hours away. I remember all those times we would sit around freshman and sophomore year and be sad about having to leave each other in just a few short years, but how far graduation seemed. Except in a blink of an eye, we were saying our goodbyes. Well, our see-you-laters!
It is funny how many times I heard growing up that you won’t keep the same friend group all the way through school, but we proved them wrong!
I am so happy we did. You guys were my biggest support system, and whether I needed prayers for something big, or because I couldn’t find my shoes, you guys were always there to help me out. I’ll never forget the memories we made, and I’ll never forget you guys.
I want you guys to know that I am so happy and proud of you. I think about you guys daily and wish you nothing but the best.
Please remember to never let this world make you feel inadequate, never let a significant other walk all over you and make you feel unloved, never let anyone tell you your dreams are too big, or that you are too much, or you talk too loud. Do not let anyone EVER belittle you, because you and I both know you are worth so much more.
I know that you all will make it big in whatever you do. I hope to be right here cheering you on for years to come. I hope that you learn to love yourselves and know your worth as much as I do.
Thank you for showing me those things. Thank you for keeping my crazy self around. You guys really are the BEST friends a girl could ask for.
Now to all those in Licking, I wish you guys the best also. Whether we were really friends or not I want you guys to also remember a few things.
Keep your head high and your spirits higher. Keep smiling even when life gets hard. Do not ever let that small town stop you from having big dreams. Most important don’t forget that you are worth more than you’ll ever believe and you can do anything you set your mind to.
Source: Joyce Dennys, Henrietta Sees It Through: More News from the Home Front 1942-1945
