They Are the Very Best of Friends; I Often Wonder Why All People Can't Be Like Elyssa
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TELL us about your best friends, we said. And you did.
From all over Westchester, letters poured in. Stories of friends made in kindergarten and in college, at work and at the shore. Tales of friendships forged through marriage: husbands and wives, mothers-in-law and sons-in-law. Stories of friendships that have lasted whole lives, whether the writer was 9 years old or 90.
There was simply not room for everyone's story. But here is a sampling chosen by editors of the Westchester section. We're pleased to introduce you to some very special people and their very special friends.
Elyssa has the most amazing eyes. They are a brilliant blue, full of merriment and have dark pools of thought in the centers. When they look deeply into mine, I feel an unexplainable warmth and comfort, which immediately heals any internal pain. Sometimes I wonder why all people can't be like her; everyday I think she must be an angel in disguise.
We met up in second grade. Elyssa and I were both a bit funny looking and kind of strange. Elyssa wore these hideous pink, purple and green glasses and rolled-up jeans, Steve Urkel style. I myself wasn't the prettiest pea in the pod. I remember I always wore this disgusting oversize sweat suit with my gigantic T-shirt hanging out the edge. I had shaggy bangs because I was in the process of growing them out. Looking back at that year, I wonder what kind of pair we made.
You see, I probably wasn't the greatest friend during our early friendship years. I wasn't there for her as she was for me. Elyssa was basically the only one who got me up when I was down. Whenever I was in doubt about myself, she was there to convince me otherwise. If I had done something wrong, she would say it wasn't my fault. Whenever I felt sad or depressed, she could list all the good things about me. But I took all this for granted. All of it.
Today I realize Elyssa has been my best friend ever since I met her. She has brought sunshine to my face, even on rainy days, and has dried my tears even when her own have been overflowing. I didn't know it until a year or two ago, but Elyssa is the best friend I never thought existed. And she will be, forever.
MIDORI UEHARA
Midori, a sixth grader at Hommocks Middle School in Larchmont, wrote this essay as a project in the language arts class taught by Susan Chester. Other students in the class who also submitted essays were Tanya Alvarez, Faran Asen, Michael Flynn, Becky Lusk, Emily Marmon, Matthew Niciu, Willy Spagnola and Daniel Zauderer.
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