Hey, ladies! It’s been a few years since we graduated, and my parents still ask me about you guys. We all went in different directions, regarding pretty much everything. Some of us went to Knoxville, some Chattanooga, some Union University, some Lee University and some Martin (me). We all have our different lives now, our different social circles, but high school still manages to connect us.
I’m not going to lie to you guys, there were times in high-school when I would get so frustrated, and looking back, I don’t even know why. Maybe it was because of my own insecurities and doubts. Maybe it was the fact that I wasn’t entirely comfortable with being myself in high school. And truth be told, I don’t think any of us were. But as I look at who we are now, the women that we are transforming into, I’m amazed because the high school versions of us were nowhere close to the college versions of us. And sure, it’s only been two and a half years, but these two and a half years have treated us well.
Some of my fondest memories were the football game nights when we knew we had to wake up early the next morning to get on the bus to head to a band competition, or homecomings when we would scrounge around to find dates but have more fun with each other instead, or lunch time when we would somehow find all of the most recent news in school and discuss it (not gossiping, never gossiping, we wouldn’t dare do that).
After winter break, we only have a year and a half left and I have a few things I would love to tell you girls because, Emily, Maddie, Savannah, Cailee, Grace Ann and Mary Ali, you deserve to hear this:
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Always laugh. Stay funny. Make the best of every situation. That’s what made high school matter. We had fun.
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Keep your faith close to you. It may not seem like it now, but that’s what matters most in the end. Our faith is what I always treasured in our circle. Don’t let go of that.
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Be uniquely you. Don’t let anyone calling you “weird” or “different” ever discourage you from being who you are at heart. Embrace your quirks and the people who truly love you and care about you will embrace it, too. Surround yourself with those kinds of people.
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Chase your dreams. We all had ideas of who we wanted to be in high school, and, obviously, those ideas are going to change when we get to college. Be a doctor. Be a campaign manager, politician or president. Be an actress. Be a teacher. Be whatever you want to be. Be what makes you feel comfortable in your own skin.
Thank you for giving me the best four years of my life and, honestly, the best childhood, since most of us have known each other since kindergarten. I brag on you guys when I hear about how people had awful friends in high school. I am blessed by you. Thank you for challenging me and always making me chase my faith. Thank you for the accountability you showed me in high school. I am proud of you guys. You inspire me immensely, and I love you girls to pieces.
Photo courtesy of Aaron Burden.