摘要：
Foreword:Inseventhgrade,Imetsomeonewhowouldbecomemyclosestfriend.Throughlaughterandtea... Foreword:
Inseventhgrade,Imetsomeonewhowouldbecomemyclosestfriend.Throughlaughterandtears,wegrewtogetherandcreatedcountlessmemoriesthatwilllastalifetime.Thisisthestoryofmybestfriendinseventhgrade.Itwasthefirstdayofschool,andIwasnervous.Ididn'tknowanyoneinmyclass,andIwasworriedaboutmakingnewfriends.ButassoonasIwalkedintotheclassroom,Isawher.Shewassittingatherdesk,lookingatmewithasmileonherface.Iwalkedovertoherandintroducedmyself.Westartedtalking,andbeforeIknewit,wewerelaughingandjokinglikewehadknowneachotherforyears.HernamewasLily,andfromthatdayon,shebecamemybestfriend.
LilywaseverythingIwantedinafriend.Shewaskind,funny,andalwaysthereformewhenIneededher.Wesharedeverythingwitheachother–oursecrets,ourdreams,andevenourfears.Oneday,Lilytoldmethatshewasmovingtoanewtown.Iwasdevastated.HowcouldIgoonwithoutmybestfriend?ButLilypromisedmethatwewouldstayintouch,andwedid.Wetalkedonthephoneeverynightandwroteeachotherletters.Despitethedistancebetweenus,ourfriendshipcontinuedtogrow.Wesupportedeachotherthrougheverything–frommiddleschooldramatofamilyproblems.Asweenteredhighschool,Lilystartedtochange.Shebecamemoreinterestedinboysandparties,whileIfocusedonmystudies.Westartedtodriftapart,andIwasworriedthatwewouldlosethebondthatwehadbuiltforsomanyyears.
Butthen,somethinghappenedthatbroughtusbacktogether.Lily'sparentsgotdivorced,andshewasdevastated.Shecametomeforcomfort,andIwasthereforher.Wespenthourstalkingandcrying,andIrealizedthatnomatterhowmuchwehadgrownapart,ourfriendshipwasstillasstrongasever.Overthenextfewyears,LilyandIcontinuedtosupporteachotherthroughtheupsanddownsoflife.Wegraduatedfromhighschoolandwentofftocollege,butourfriendshipneverfaltered.Incollege,Lilydiscoveredherpassionforphotography,andIstartedwritingfortheschoolnewspaper.Wepursuedourdreamstogetherandencouragedeachothereverystepoftheway.Aftercollege,LilygotajobatamagazineinNewYorkCity,whileImovedbackhometoworkatalocalnewspaper.Wewerelivingindifferentstates,butwestillmadetimeforeachother.
Onesummer,Lilycamebacktovisitme.Wespentthewholeweekcatchinguponoldtimesandmakingnewmemories.Itwaslikewehadneverbeenapart.Asweenteredourthirties,LilyandIbothgotmarriedandstartedfamiliesofourown.Wedidn'ttalkasoftenasweusedto,butwheneverwedid,itwaslikenotimehadpassed.Oneday,Lilycalledmewithsomenews.Shehadbeendiagnosedwithcancer.Iwasdevastated.Howcouldthishappentomybestfriend?ButIknewthatIhadtobethereforher,justlikeshehadalwaysbeenthereforme.Overthenextfewmonths,Lilywentthroughchemotherapyandradiation.Itwasadifficulttimeforbothofus,butweremainedhopefulthatshewouldrecover.
Finally,thedaycamewhenLilywasdeclaredcancer-free.Wecelebratedbytakingatriptothebeach,justlikewehaddonewhenwewerekids.Itwasareminderthatnomatterwhatlifethrowsatus,wewillalwayshaveeachother.Asweenteredourforties,LilyandIcontinuedtosupporteachotherthroughthechallengesoflife.Wesaweachotherthroughnewjobs,newhomes,andeventhelossoflovedones.Oneday,Lilycalledmewithsomenews.Shehaddecidedtomovebacktoourhometown.Iwasthrilled.Finally,mybestfriendwouldbebackwhereshebelonged.WhenLilymovedbackhome,wepickeduprightwhereweleftoff.Wespentourweekendsexploringthetownwegrewupinandreminiscingaboutoldtimes.
Today,LilyandIarebothinourfifties.Wehavebeenfriendsforoverfortyyears,andourbondisstrongerthanever.Wehavebeenthroughsomuchtogether,andIknowthatnomatterwhatthefutureholds,wewillalwaysbethereforeachother.Lookingbackonourjourney,Irealizethatmybestfriendinseventhgradehasbeenwithmeeverystepoftheway.Shehastaughtmeaboutthepoweroffriendship,andhowitcanendureeventhetoughestchallenges.Toanyonereadingthis,Iwantyoutoknowthatfriendshipisoneofthegreatestgiftsinlife.Itcanbringusjoy,comfort,andhopewhenweneeditmost.Andifyou'reluckyenoughtofindafriendlikeLily,holdontight–theyaretrulyatreasure.Sohere'stomybestfriendinseventhgrade–thankyouforbeingthereformethroughthickandthin.Iamgratefulforeverymomentwehaveshared,andIlookforwardtomanymoreyearsoflaughter,tears,andeverythinginbetween.
