Friendship Forever

three year olds dressed as Dalmatians run onto the road
parents right behind
kids hyper, of course, its a party!
parents happy to see so many smiles
   an early memory
   but one i'll never forget, from the days long ago
   the days of birthday parties with themes
   the days of different but wonderful friends

fast forward, first grade here already
"best friends forever" we promised
and to this day, hannah and jacqui are my friends till the end

fast forward again, time goes by so fast
third grade, already learning to write a second way
kat joined my reading group
unknowingly our families were attached forever after

press the button again and it's fifth grade
first a halloween play with the "Back-grave Boys"
then elementary graduation
unable to believe it's that day already

we stormed on, joined the big kids in middle school
the next few years created many memories of times good and bad
we learned, changed and discovered
friendships grew and fell apart
kids started becoming men and women

jumping into high school with a bang
we asked for new students and pushed for their right to come to our school
next year, new friend to hold tight
cait and jess joined our group like they had been watching all along

sophomore year brought first boyfriends, new boyfriends and friends
and the challenge to stay in touch with friends across the country
the year passed, memory making through the summer was done too
junior year suddenly upon us
new classes, a challenge to say the least
it felt slow day by day
but before we blinked twice senior project meetings began
graduation was just weeks away
senior year was a step in front of us

suddenly we're almost there
senior year, high school graduation
the unattainable
we've spent our lives preparing for it
now, it's about to begin

beginning to think
what do i want to do with my life?
where do i want to be?
how should life be in ten years?

i simply don't have all the answers
i can't plan that far ahead

but one thought stays true to my mind
no matter where i go
no matter what i do
i'll be happy with my friends
five years, ten years
twenty, fifty, one hundred years if we survive them
i'll have my friends
we'll meet for coffee, shopping, reminiscing and memory making
or maybe just to talk

what do i want to do in ten years?
i want to remember the good times
i want to have more good times
i want to be with my friends