Erin's Portfolio
One moment in time, May 30 1997, changed my life forever. At that instant, I lost one of the best friends I have ever had. I never realized how important friendship was until a friend was taken away from me. Although my relationship with her hadn't been quite as strong the past few years, she had meant so much to me when I was younger.
She was my best friend and I spent all of my time with her when I was little. From before the time I was born, our families had been close and it was as if we were destined to be best friends. We played in sandboxes in our backyards which were separated only by a small chain fence. We went sledding during the winter, played Marco-Polo at the neighborhood pool during the summer, and kept each other company on the swing-set in my backyard all day long, any time of year. Our friendship even lasted when she moved to Tennessee for several years. I thought I'd never see her again even though we wrote each other often. Although she moved back, she went to a different school and made other friends. We still spent a lot of time together, but I felt as though someone had taken my place.
We spoke occasionally and she still meant so much to me. Because of the memories we shared when we were younger, I feel a special bond between us, and always will. Her life ended in a head-on collision one morning while she was on the way to school. When I heard the news, I got the familiar feeling of being left behind and the realization that I would never speak to her again. I had so much I wanted to say, things that will never be said and things that I pray she knew before she died. From that moment on I understood how important life was and how easy it was to lose.
Before her accident I didn't really comprehend the brevity of life and how much you rely on your relationships with other people. Too often we take for granted the people close to us and we don't realize how much they mean until it is too late. I have learned that we must cherish everyday and be thankful for what we have instead of dwelling on what we don't. I've never had to deal with the loss of someone close to me before, and I was quickly forced to learn how to cope with a significant emotional loss. I still think about her everyday and I know I will never get over her untimely departure. I now live everyday knowing how short life is and how much friendships mean. The lessons that I have learned ensure me that I will never forget her. Through her death, she has taught me about life.
On a dark and murky morning we set out through marshland. We traveled for what seemed like hours on a small dirt path. Underbrush and shrubs were growing up along the side of the path. As the sun arose, its rays glimmered across the large lake at the end of the trail. A reflection coming from underneath the light brown marsh grass caught our eye.
We found her all by herself in the deep overcast woods. Twisted underbrush and vines surrounded her. The small trees hanging overhead shaded where she lay. The vines entwined themselves around her body and the grass masked her true beauty. The deep cavities within her were home to birds and small furry creatures of the forest. Her color was faded due to the harsh weather she had suffered during the many months since her abandonment. Her exterior was in ruins, but her interior was capable of being reborn. Patches of her pale green skin shone in the early morning sun through the grass, which acted as her blanket.
She was stationary and it looked as if she would never move again, paralyzed for life. She lay upon an old, rusty frame that was underneath the bunk that supported her battered ribs. Her quiet heart was still and only time would tell if life remained. Only the faintest spark of life was left.
We rescued her from the solitude of her home in the deserted forest and carried her across the state to our home. She was rough around the edges and in desperate need of healing. Layers of thick grime, which had accumulated over the long months, engulfed her. With the dirt washed away, a dull, drab finish was revealed which could only be repaired with a new look. We doctored her with a new layer of skin, leaving a shiny, black exterior. We stripped her of her rotten core and replaced it with clean, fresh materials. The light inside her had burnt out, so we put a bright gleam back into her eye. We molded her crooked body into its original shape. When given a new spark, her dark heart would sputter but would never regain a strong, dependable beat. Her life was revived. We gave her a compass so she would never lose her way again. Finally, we gave her new clothes, which help to blind the prying eyes of the wary waterfowl she seeks. On cold, foggy mornings we take our new duck boat out to the blind. She glides through the water as though she were the mythical phoenix soaring through the sky.
Another Night
Another night it's cold and damp
These people beat and torture me
My life if full of pain and saddness
I feel I'm falling down a slippery slope
As I lay in bed I try not to cry
I hear the cries of many others
Death would be such a sweet release
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