“Remember that time” is a common phrase that comes up when I’m with my neighborhood friends. There are quite a few memories we share that are timeless. My neighborhood friends are people that I will always hold close to my heart. They are the people I never have to fear losing and can always count on to be by my side. They supported me through the worst of times and they were a part of all the moments that were the best of times. The friends that I grew up with are easily considered family, in my mind, and have supplied me with adventure, support, loyalty, and of course plenty of laughter. Poet’s Corner, thank you for always being in my corner.
Being just a scooter ride away from each other’s houses made life better. We know one another’s houses inside and out, just like it’s our own. My parents are yours and yours are mine.
I consider every moment with you all something that I will treasure. Those little moments almost always turned into stories we’ve told over and over again and seem to get funnier every time we tell them. I’ve loved our nights where we sat around campfires talking about the future and looking back at the past (while trying not to get set on fire by marshmallows). I still crack up when I think about the time we were spies running through the woods and when we were mischief-makers getting caught at each other’s doorsteps. There were capture the flag matches and Ping-Pong battles, concerts and pool games. Block parties were a highlight of the summer months and renting a ski house in Vermont was the sweetest part of the winter. There was always an adventure ready to be had, even if we didn’t know it was about to happen.
Big adventures happened too, like when we all decided to take off on a 10-day trip to Italy that I’ll never forget. From breaking the hotel shower in the bathroom in Rome to knocking stones out of the ruins of Pompeii, we accidentally wreaked havoc. We ate way too much tiramisu but it's OK because the tour guide dragged us around plenty. It was a time I wouldn’t have wanted to spend with any other people.
The truth is growing up in a neighborhood with some of the greatest people I’ve ever known has made me crave that type of life for my future. I want my kids to experience shenanigans like the ones that have been photographed and adhered to pages of my scrapbooks. I want them to feel what it's like to have genuine friendships with people that you might not always see 24/7, but when you do, nothing has changed. The reality of the matter is that you’re the first friends I ever had and you’ll still be some of my favorite to come home to during school breaks. For the older ones in the group, you’ve always said how hard it is for you to see us youngsters all grown up and beginning college in the fall. I know that I owe a lot of thanks to you all for paving the way for us and showing us what to do and not to do when it's our turn. Life, thus far, wouldn’t have been nearly as fun without all of you. Thank you for all these memories and for the ones left unsaid.
