When I was in second grade, I moved to Colorado. Overall, it didn’t start off well. I discovered that I was a real geek. A lot of the kids were mean to me that year. My dad left my mom under very painful circumstances (they reunited later). I really liked this girl in Ms. Bryant’s class — I was in Miss Johnson’s — and I wanted to be friends with her. I couldn’t tell you why anymore. Maybe you can just chalk it up to a feeling that we’d get along. Bless her, she didn’t want to be seen with Dana the Dork, so she wasn’t too keen to start a friendship.

In third grade, when we were both in Mrs. Elliott’s class (she’s one of the best teachers ever), things were different. I don’t know why the kids relented. I can only recall being teased in second grade and not being teased much after that (until middle school, but that’s another story). So I became friends with this girl. We played games at recess. We had several things in common that to my nine-year-old mind seemed uncanny. Our names both started with D. We both had weird last names. We both had sisters (oh, that one there is really freaky — too coincidental!). We were both short. And we both sucked at P.E., often competing to see who would be picked absolutely last versus next to last. I don’t think we cared after a certain point.

Before long, we were best friends. I would say inseparable. I had some difficult times as a kid, and she helped me through those times. It is so rare and so special to have a best friend. The losing of a friend like that leaves a hole that no other friend can really fill. Darcy and I were best friends from 3rd to 9th grade (I moved over the summer between 8th and 9th). We were not so good at maintaining closeness over the miles. We tried to stay in touch, but after a time, years might pass before we would contact each other. In the case of our last correspondence, it was four years. I haven’t actually seen her in about 10 years.

We have been writing over the last few days, and I feel like I have received the gift of my best friend. I missed her so much, and I am so glad to have her back in my life. She knows all my secrets, and she still loves me.

This isn’t coming off as eloquently as I’d like, but I just wanted to say in front of everyone that I’m glad you’re back in my life again, Darcy. Let’s not let years pass ever again, and we have to figure out a way to visit sometime soon(ish). We might be going to Colorado this summer…