The Color Orange.

As I sit at school, I look out the window thinking about how bored I am at times. I think of how I'm just sitting at my desk and only certain bits of information are being saved, while the rest of my teacher's thoughts are sifted through my head and out into nothingness, where it sits and is longed later on when I need it for my homework. I think of how sometimes school is too long; how most of what we're learning could be taught in half the time if it weren't for distractions and side conversations. As I sit there letting my mind creep away unknowingly, I happen to glance down and notice something different. What is it? It's the color orange I saw flash through my eyes. After a second glance I realize it is my new braided yarn bracelet. Just in this quick glance a whole flood of new thoughts fill my mind.
This bracelet was made by a special friend of mine from CLI, where I stayed for five days over February break. Christian Leadership Institute (CLI) was an amazing experience and I met so many great people that I will never forget. When this opportunity was offered to me, I didn't want to go at first. Now that I look back, I'm so glad I made the choice to go. This experience taught me to live my life to the fullest. Had I not gone, I would've never realized what truly amazing people there are just in my area that I may've never met otherwise. It taught me not to hold back on anything I do, just to be myself and enjoy the experience while it lasts. It also taught me that it's okay to be open about my faith and my views; that you can judge me if you want, but it will never change the way I feel. Adults aren't the only ones that should go to church or be considered religious. Children are the future and camps such as CLI teach that we can be the leaders of our ministry. I will never forget the special times I had at CLI and the friends I made in the process.
As I sit at school, bored after a long day, the orange bracelet on my wrist opens the gates to my cherished memories of CLI.

"No love, no friendship, can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever." Francois Mocuriac

Meant To Be

Everything happens for a reason.
I cried that summer night on vacation in Arizona when my parents told me we were moving. I was going to be in eighth grade and I already had settled into my great group of friends and life in Burnt Hills. I kept positive thoughts about moving to Maine, like being near the ocean and closer to relatives. I will never forget that night, trying so hard to hide my tears and to show my parents that I was old enough to handle the news without making them feel bad. I needed to show my younger sister that if I could handle the move positively, so could she.
Now that I am back in the same town, same school, even same house, I realize that the move was fate for our family and a life-changing experience for me. Our house in New York never sold and my dad pulled strings to be able to continue the job we moved for in his New York office. I couldn't have imagined the whole experience ending up more perfect.
One of the best explanations I can give for that being a life-changing experience is that if I had never moved I may've never met one of my closest friends. I did crew before moving and was heart broken after discovering that the school in Maine didn't offer this sport. This is how I decided to play field hockey. In the meantime, back in New York, this close friend I speak of was convinced to play field hockey with her friend for the first time also. When her friend quit, she decided she might as well stick with it. Freshmen year when I returned, I chose to continue, as did she. This is when we first met :) :)
Sophmore year field hockey season was the beginning of the close friend stage. We saw each other everyday during preseason. One day before school started I decided to go into the school to see my schedule ahead of time. I was upset when I found out that the Adolescent Psychology class was full and I had a choice between a study hall, criminology, and shop class instead. I hesitantly chose criminology but later was in shock when I walked in the first day and saw this close friend of mine sitting front and center, legs crossed, smacking those glossed lips as she ran her fingers through her hair!
This year her and I have become so close because we have similar views as far as our faith, we can listen to each other at times, we're there when we need each other most, and, as we say: "we hold each others' self-confidence". She sends me the most beautiful emails and she knows when she can tease me and when it's not the time. I'm am staying true to my promise for her: that we will be friends forever no matter what. Don't forget it, girl!
For this reason, I am especially happy I moved to Maine. Had I not moved, I would have never began playing field hockey. I would have never checked my class schedule at the time I did. I would've never taken criminology. I would've never met my closest friend! For this, I now know that everything happens for a reason. That one summer night two years ago, I cried when I found out we had to move. Last night, I cried after reading the best email I have ever recieved, from my best friend Mary.