Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m as
sentimental as they come. Thank you
notes, English notes from the 6th grade, every letter home from
summer camp. I keep everything. It’s funny though; I have never considered school
yearbooks all that special. I saw the same people year after year and
most of the time when I look back at the year books I did choose to buy
everyone wrote the exact same
message---- Have a great summer!
How thoughtful.
My senior year
of high school there were 438 people in my graduating class. I probably talked
to less than half of them but decided to buy a yearbook. I made a point to find classmates who really
mattered to me. We were sitting in the
cafeteria when I asked a fellow student who coped with Autism if I could sign
his yearbook. He said, sure and I
began to write one of my “Julie notes” This student had inspired me and I
wanted him to know. I finished my
message and returned his yearbook to him.
My yearbook sat beside me. My classmate
had also written me a note. It said, “I’ve known you for a long time (We finished middle school together). Congratulations not just for graduating but
for doing it with something that no one else has to.”
I shut my yearbook holding back tears. This student came to school everyday dealing
with a disability of his own, but still recognized the courage it
took for me to overcome my obstacles.
It’s impossible to live a life of strength alone. The goal is to help others recognize their
inner strength.
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