I remember my very first best friend, Niya. We were in second grade. She was so awesome. She was the only girl who could beat me at tetherball. I remember she made me laugh a lot and I never got mad when I got rope burn on my arms from stopping the ball (ropesies we called it). She never called rules - we would just play. All the other kids would call rules and make it so boring, then get defeated easily. I remember being impressed with her strength (does tetherball really require strength? or skill?). She had twin brothers, they were younger. She was the first friend I made outside of my neighborhood that invited me over to play.
I remember wondering why she wanted to be my friend, what were the things she liked about me? Not that I thought I was an unlikeable kid- I was just curious what parts of me she thought were interesting enough to tell her parents about me, call me, and have me come over. It made me feel so good to be invited to her house and I hoped she knew that I really liked her. I can't remember exactly what the things were I liked about her, I just knew I enjoyed being around her and hanging out on the playground was never boring when she was around. I wish I had known specifically what was cool about her to me and that I had told her. I was really sad when they moved away. I wonder how she is doing now and where she is.
It's so funny how some people you meet in life you bond with instantly and you don't even know why or how. Some personalities just click right away. I wish I could collect all those people I have met and clicked with and keep them all close by. All the Niya's could get to know one another and we could crack the code. Have a party at least once a month and see what we all have in common, if the whole lot of them get along as well as I think they would. We would take a survey and find out similarities, personality traits, goals, etc. and find the common threads. Or maybe there would be none at all and it would be super awkward.
It's fun to think about why I really like someone. This month I am going to revive my Thoughtful Package idea and spend some time writing emails or letters telling my friends what I like about them.
And someday when I am 50 years old I am going to look up all those favorite childhood friends and have a big party with a lot of red balloons in the deepest of green grass and have rootbeer floats. With twisty straws. And staw hats. Everyone gets to sit in white wicker rocking chairs (with plush padding). And I will include my adulthood favorite friends, too, and gather everyone up I enjoy the most in one big, open space. Rachael will you be my DJ?
