Farewells and Goodbyes

     Goodbyes for me are never easy.  Majority of my friends have already departed for their schools; one to Alabama, one to western Pennsylvania, and others scattered across Massachusetts.

     But this post is about the strange realization I have come to: that this fall I say goodbye to not only friends my own age, but also some kids I never thought would ever get this old.  A group of "kiddos", meek freshmen of my senior year, are suddenly posing for senior pictures, taking the SAT's, and visiting colleges. 

     My friend - also my best friend's little sister - begins her freshman year at my own university.  Julia, the cutie with adorable freckles across her nose, who giggles at the little things, is going to be a freshman!  She's not a child, she's only two years younger than me.  Yet, I find myself wondering where the time went and how they all could have grown up so fast.

     One of my other best friends, Nikki, left for her freshman year of college.  We met when she was thirteen, on a school bus headed to auditions for a state music festival choir.  At the time we pretty much ignored each other, a shy middle schooler and a high school sophomore.  When she came to the high school, I was a junior; I was an upper classman by that time and quite conceited.  I saw the incoming freshmen as something to mold and mentor since the "poor, lost lambs didn't know up from down".  Nikki began dating my best guy friend since kindergarten and suddenly she became my competition.  I was competing with her for drama roles, chorus solos and most of all, my friend's attention.  We were both so convinced that the other hated us that we tried our best to hate each other.  

     The school year and summer vacation both came and went, but by the time we returned to school, Nikki and my friend were broken up.  Nikki and I discovered one day in drama club rehearsal that we had similar personalities.  We became the best of friends and since then we have been practically inseparable.  I am "Meow" and she is my "Mini Meow".  We drink far too much coffee and enjoy anything and everything that has to do with the beach.  It's funny to look back on the past and realize that we never actually disliked one another; we just thought the other one hated us.

     I know she's scared and nervous and wary of college; no one in this town handles change well, but she's young and learning so she'll adapt just fine in the end.  It's hard to accept that I have to say goodbye to her; a person who has been such a huge part of my life over the past four years.  She's brave, and she will do well.  

     I have always been the type to get attached (I am a Cancer after all).  I suppose I worry that they will forget me as soon as they leave.  Change is not easy to accept; it's scary and comes with all sorts of new things arriving and old things disappearing.  I'm overprotective and maternal.  I wish they could all remain innocent children, like Peter Pan.  These goodbyes are not easy to swallow, but they all must grow up and move on in their lives.  So as these "kiddos" embark upon their new journeys, wherever those journeys may lead them, I wish them safe, happy adventures. Be brave and go forth.