To All of my Special Friends that B213 Brought Me,

It’s hard to put into words the impact our friendships have had on me. You have made me a better person and changed my outlook on life. You have showed me what true friendship means. You have taught me more life lessons than I can count. You have a special place in my heart and I can’t thank you enough for being my friend. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and I will forever be grateful that God put you into my life. I may be 500 miles away at college now, but I want you to know I carry our friendship and all that you taught me wherever I go.

I always hear people saying things like “it takes a special person to raise or work with a child with special needs”, but I disagree. It takes a special person to be able to inspire others to see the world through a different lends and teach them what true friendship is, and you are that special person. The decision I made my freshman year of high school to become a peer collaborator was a decision that I will be thankful for the rest of my life. That decision allowed me to form so many special, true friendships like ours, and a chance to spend part of every school day surrounded by the most inspiring, loving, hard- working students. I can’t thank you enough for being such a special part of who I am today, but I want you to know that you have made me a better person and left a mark on me that won’t ever go away.

Thank you for being you and encouraging me to do the same.

You are such a special person inside and out. We all have our own flaws and weaknesses, but instead of dwelling on yours, you love who you are. You never try to be something you’re not, despite what others think.

Thank you for reminding me to appreciate the small things.

We often get way too caught up on wanting what we don’t have. We often seek to be at the top of the mountain and are not happy until we make it. You remind me every day to appreciate the little things. A simple high five when you complete a difficult tasks or getting rewarded “the star of the day in gym class”, it’s the little things that can make your day. You have shown me how to not get caught up in striving towards the final destination, but to enjoy the tide.

Thank you for showing me what’s really important.

Sometimes we get caught up in the superficial things in life and forget what truly matters. Thank you for reminding me that it’s not about the brands we wear, the car we drive, what we look like, or the sports teams were on, but what really matters at the end of the day is how hard we work, how much we love others, the friendships we make, and our outlook on life. Every day you remind me what’s really important.

Thank you for showing me what hard work looks like and remembering to always celebrate our victories.

We often make excuses for ourselves when we don’t perform as well as we would like. When we don’t work as hard as we should we blame it on being dealt the bad cards. You accept the cards you were dealt and don’t make excuses. Instead, you work your hardest every day to be the best you can be given the cards you were dealt.

Thank you for reminding me to slow down and teaching me true patience.

It’s no secret that somedays I was impatient as we worked together. It’s no secret that often I’m in patient with a lot of things in life. Sometimes we get caught up in our busy life and forget to slow down and take it all in. You have taught me to always remember that we are all different, we all have our own challenges to overcome, and we all learn differently. You have taught me to be empathetic, to take a deep breath, and to live in the moment.

Thank you for teaching me to be a good listener because everyone has something important they can share with you.

Sometimes you and I communicate a little differently. Sometimes I have a difficult time understanding what you are saying and you often have difficulty understanding what I am saying. You have taught me how to listen to everything others have to say and to be patient when I don’t automatically understand. You have taught me that everyone has something valuable to say.

Thank you for reminding me that every day is a new day and to never dwell on the past.

You never bring up issues or misfortunes of the past. You never stay mad at a friend or family. You are always living in the present with goals for the future. You have taught me to move on quickly and start each day fresh.

Thank you for teaching me true passion and reminding me to give my all to everything.

No matter what task you or faced with or activity you are partaking in, you get excited and put your heart and soul into it. Whether it be going bowling, doing math homework, folding laundry, or making copies while working in the copy center, you give 100% of yourself. You have taught me what it truly means to be passionate about life and be committed to working hard no matter what task is at hand.

Thank you for asking “what’s wrong” when I’m not being myself, but not allowing me to answer before you give me a huge hug and bring out a huge smile that makes me forget what was wrong.

You always know when something is off with me. It does not matter how big or small of an issue I am having that is making me upset, you know just how to make me forget about it. You can turn any day around with just a simple hug and smile.

Thank you for the random FaceTime calls and texts while I’m away at college that always seems to come during the most stressful weeks.

It’s hard not seeing you every day anymore, but these Facetime calls and texts mean more than you’ll ever know. When I’m having a hectic week and stressed out about just about everything, these calls and texts remind me to take a step back and relax. You have an ability to gain my full attention for a few minutes and put my stress to rest for a minute.

I could go on and on for hours, but no words can describe how special you are to me. I am so lucky to have a friend like you in my life, and I hope you know that no one can ever replace you. Thank you for coming into my life and changing the way I view life. It takes a special friend like you to leave such a mark on someone like the one you’ve left on me. You are a light to this world and I thank God for your presence.