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Looking around my living room, I see my greatest friends of my
life are all around me on my book shelves. Every book I lift off
the shelf pinpoints a time in my life. They represent all the joy,
sorrow, and laughter felt in my life. The large, shiny red poetry
book my father read to me reminds me of all of these. It is
probably my favorite. Then I recall my people friends that
attended school with me through the years. What great fun they
were! I doubt I'll ever forget the smell of my kindergarten class
and my first meeting with Belle Hudson. As I get older, I realize
how precious that friendship was. It taught me how to be a friend
and what I have seen in her is what I have looked for in friends ever
since. Now as an adult, I see Belle in friends like Tiffany,
Rachelle and it seems my favorite characters in my books have always
reminded me a bit of Belle.
Belle had a profound effect on me in
childhood as well as later on in life. She was my finest friend
throughout grammar and Junior High school. We fancied relishing our
lunches together. Laughing about the boys' wicked ways and planning
our revenge at the ensuing recess. This always made lunch go by so
swiftly. It was hard to tear us apart. Hell, it was hard to tell
us apart. We were both round bodied and a bit out of shape.
But I always saw Belle in a jovial light. She had a merry way
about her, and her laugh was infectious; it reminded me if Christmas
bells, tingly, jingling and warm. I miss her. She was happy,
giving and warm. Upon reflection, these are the attributes...