I think everybody should like everybody

When I was young, I was confident, happy and I never paid any attention to people’s appearance, let alone my own. I would wear the clothes I liked and it wouldn’t make a difference what others were wearing. Then I became friends with a girl who would change me. She would put me down, she would talk badly about me behind my back, she would make up rumours about me. You can never truly understand the ability a girl has to absolutely ruin your life until you’ve experienced it first hand. I began to feel worthless. I began to look at myself in the mirror and notice the flaws. My confidence slowly went downhill. And the hardest part – I still wanted to be her friend. Despite all the thing she’s done to me, I still wanted her to like me. At the time I wasn’t confident enough to stand up to her and tell her I was sick of her.
The year went on and it continued. Day after day, I would come home, with no desire to do anything. My grades gradually started to decline. By the time the next year had rolled around, I was absolutely miserable. She told me she didn’t want to be my friend anymore, because I’d hurt her so much. She said I had ruined her life. I couldn’t believe it. Regardless of that fact that I was rid of her nasty comments, and mean ways I would still look at myself and only see the bad things. Slowly over time, I wouldn’t raise my hand with the answers, I wouldn’t speak out in class. Even though I wasn’t being put down by her, I was still aware of what people thought of me.
After a while, I was shy, quiet, awkward and completely unhappy. I would smile with my friends and laugh at their jokes. But inside I was broken. I was so self conscious. Over the next two years, I was the same. Quiet, insecure, shy and was only truly happy when I was alone. I became angry, and would take it out on the people who were there for me the most, my family. I would get into fights. I would scream and yell. That was the only way for me to get out my anger, and looking back, it was probably the worst way to have gone about it.
Then, when grade 10 rolled around, something inside changed. Whether it was the attention I was getting from guys, or just a change in my concern for what others thought, I started to become less shy. I could chat with total strangers, I could carry on a conversation with someone regardless of gender, age or popularity. I began to feel confident in myself, and I was much, much happier. There was no epiphany, no moment of realization. Gradually over time, I just became sure of myself. I’m still in grade 10, and every day I become more and more confident. Of course I’m still awkward and uncomfortable sometimes, and I still get embarrassed. But it doesn’t haunt me for the rest of the day. I can blow it off, and move on.
I think it’s partly growing up, and realizing that people don’t really care. But for the most part, I think its been my friends and my family, being there for me, and always reassuring me that I have worth, and that I do deserve true happiness.

What we see depends mainly on what we look for

I was sitting looking at some old conversations I had with my friends on Facebook over the past year. So much has changed. Some of the people who used to be the best of friends don’t even talk anymore. Some people used to be so against drinking and drugs, and are now right into them. Some people I’m not friends with anymore, and some people I’m better friends with now than I ever used to be.
I can’t believe how crazy this year has been. Now that it’s coming to an end, it’s hitting me just how much has really changed.
Some people I’m so thankful to still have in my life, and some people I’m sad are gone. There have been some really hard times and some really good times.
Reading the conversations last night, I’ve realized who my true friends are, and who the people are who were never really there for me over the year. Last night opened my eyes to some things I’ve been blind to for a while.
There are a few people in particular with whom I’ve had the pleasure of spending a lot of time lately, and I know now more than ever how much they mean to me. How much they’ve been there for me and how much I could never live without them. I think if they’re reading this they’ll know who they are.
It’s been a crazy year and I have no doubts we’ll have many more crazy years ahead of us. But now that I know that these people will always be there for me, I don’t feel afraid anymore.

Live like there's no tomorrow.

I know right now you probably wish that the world would just slow down, and wait for you to catch up. Wait for you to understand this, and find a way of dealing with it. I know this is probably one of the hardest things you’ve ever had to do. But I also know that you are strong enough, and that you can do it. I want you do be there to see me get married. I want you to meet my husband. I want you to meet my children. I wish there was something I could say or do, to make you better, to make you realize how much more you could be doing to get better. They say Laughter is the best medicine, and I truly believe that it is. You need to smile, and be happy. Live life, because whether you like it or not, the world isn’t going to stop spinning, time is going to keep passing by and you’ll miss it. You need to live like every moment is your last, because no one lives forever. Live with no regrets. You need to understand, we’re all here for you, and we all want to see you get better. But in some ways I feel like we’ve done all we can do. Its up to you now, the balls in your court. You need to realize that whatever happens, we’ll stand behind you, we will support you, and that we love you more than anything.
No one can go back and make a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make new ending.

I’d like to think that everyone has their own special place. A place they know that no one will judge them and they can really be themselves. A place they love to go to, and hate to leave. I know that my own special place is at my camp on Lake George.
If you walk down our driveway, and turn left the next four or five driveways you turn into, you will always find someone who knows you and cares about you. I really feel safe here and although I may not be technically related to all of these people, I still consider them family.
The hot summer days are my favourite, just like today. The parents sitting up on the deck with assorted snacks, watching the kids swim as they discover new rocks or come up with new games. Eventually, the kids will all come up, wrapped in towels and we can always find someone’s lap to sit on. Supper time is also fun. The plans are made, and everyone goes their separate ways. Then one by one, everyone appears with their own contribution to the meal. Once all the food is on the table, it gets pretty hectic. Everyone reaching for something, and filling up their plates. Once everyone has their food, we start to chat. There are rarely any serious conversations at the lake. Mostly laughing and remembering old times. Then, we all move to the other side of the screened in porch, when someone will go out and start a fire. On nights when the bugs are especially bad, the women and kids will stay in the porch, while the men usually sit around the fire. Most nights, we all try and pry ourselves a seat around the fire and we end up sitting in a tight little circle. Some of us sitting on beer coolers or on each other. After the fire has died down a little bit, marshmallows are broken out and it’s a scramble to find a good roasting stick. Some of us roast our marshmallows until they’re perfectly golden on the outside and melted on the inside while the rest of us wait for the next available roaster. The parents try and keep track of how many all their children have had and the kids always try and sneak in a few more without being noticed. Once all that’s over with, we sit back down and chat. I love it when one conversation ends and everyone just stares at the fire, not saying a word. One by one, the women head off to bed, and take their children with them. After a while it’s only the men left. I love going to sleep with the sound of them laughing. It’s very comforting.
I love my camp, but I think the thing that makes it my favourite place on earth are the people. These people have no idea how much they mean to me. I know that no matter where my life takes me and what happens, I will always have them to fall back on. They are my family and I couldn’t live without them.

You were once happy without him. You'll be happy again.

Please. I’m begging you. Leave her be. Give her time, time to get over you. Time to move on. That’s all she needs. I don’t think you realize how hard you’ve made this for her. Knowing someone loves you, know you love them, but knowing you can never have them is horrible.
What I hate even more is that you’re being nicer to her, than you used to be. You’re showing an intrest, you seem happy to talk to her. You’ve only ever thought of yourself throughout this relationship, how you felt, what you wanted. She was never even a factor.
Since you broke her heart, she’s been a different person. All I want if for her to be happy again. I want to have my best friend back. I miss the girl who could brighten a room with her smile, with an infectious laugh and a heart as big as anything. You’ve turned her into a shell of a person, going through the motions, making it through the day.
All I’m asking is for you to give her time. Give her the time she needs to forget about you. Let her find her happiness. I know there are things you need to do, but you have to understand, you weren’t the only person affected by that relationship. Once you’ve figured out what you need to, then see what happens. You can’t expect her to wait for you.
Just please give her heart back. Give her smile back. Give her life back.