i'll always be with you

"If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart, I'll always be with you." - Christopher Robin

Tomorrow is my last day of high school. The last day before I start the next journey in my life, before the next chapter of my book is written. Tomorrow is the last day I will ever attend school with my best friends, some of whom I've known for thirteen years. It is the last day I will ever attend school with my brother. It is the last day to really be a kid. I've been waiting for this day for so long, and now that it's here, I'm not sure I'm ready for it all to be over. It has come so quickly that I haven't had time to really stop and think about the memories I've formed between kindergarten and senior year. I haven't really had time to appreciate each and every one of my friends who has been there with me through the ups and downs. And after graduation, I may, in fact, never see some of my high school classmates again. As each of my friends are heading in a different direction, heading to a differet college, heading to a different region of the country, I know that they will always be with me. Even if we are hours apart, the friedships, the laughs, the tears, the memories, everything that we have overcome together will be carried on. It is hard to believe that those friends who have become more like brothers and sisters won't be with me every step of the way next year. They may not always be there when I need a shoulder to lean on or a hand to guide me. They aren't going to be just a five minute drive away. But there will always be a place for them in my heart.

Although it is scary to be going so far away, it is important to rememeber that you are brave; you are strong; you are smart. There is nothing, no one that can stand in the way of your dreams. There is no one that can stand in the way of your plans. And although you may not know anyone, always know that you are not alone. There may be times when you are lonely, when you need that comfort that you have known for so long. But, that does not mean that you have been forgotten. That does not mean that you have been abandoned. The love that you have developed will be with you forever. Know that you will always have those with you that are close to your heart. Even though that friend may be nine hours away, he will be with you. He will be with you, encouraging you, guilding you, leading you in the direction you are meant to go. You will succeed, you will thrive, you will shine. There is no doubt in my mind that you can do anything you set your mind to. Anything is possible with courage. Anything is possible with wisdom. And anything is posible with strength. All things are possible through faith and the faith that you will not be alone is enough to get you through your next big adventure.