Who has helped shape who you are?

So Lisa, just posted some thoughts on the past. It's got me thinking too. Especially with Nick starting Jr High. I moved away, to almost the other side of the country shortly after High School. I have lost touch with so many friends from High School.

Remember in high school, thinking it would always be that way. The boy you were dating... He was the one. You told everyone you were getting married someday. Your yearbook is filled with ...You guys are so great together. And...I' m glad you found each other. And...see you at your wedding in 7 years. Then you graduate, and everything changes. You SAY you'll always be together. Best friends, boyfriends. It's hard to imagine it now. Everybody went on and did other things! Some went into the military. Some moved out of their parents house right away. Some spent the summer, desperately holding on to our dreams of staying together. I was one that actually did all of those. Well, I didn't go into the military, but my sweetie did. I have wondered many times, what would have happened, if he hadn't left.

This boy changed my life. Let me back up for a minute. In Jr High, I had two friends. And lots of bitchy girls, who made fun of me. It really was horrid. Luckily, it only lasted 2 years, because the year my class went into 8th grade, the school district, decided to put 6th in middle school, and 9th in the high school... but I digress...

When I went to High School, I was SURE all those bitchy girls, were going to tell all the kids from the other Jr High, to not like me. I know...stupid, but still. I went in believing High school would be the same. I guess about a 3 months in, I met my best friend. We were in homeroom together.

So about my sophmore year, I realized that noone had told all the other kids about me, and it was UP to me, to make friends. I ran with the choir crowd. NOT popular in my high school. But we were happy. And in that crowd, I was in the IN group, you could say. I had boyfriends, from the music department. But honestly, they all treated me like crap. Ok, isn't that high school? But when your in a relatively small crowd, ya all kind of date each other ya know? Sounds creepy, I hope you know what I mean. So for the most part, the men in my life, had all treated me poorly. Not the 10th and 11th grade boys are men, but you get my point. Maybe I picked the wrong ones, or the wrong ones picked me, then dumped me, cuz I was a good girl.

Well by my senior year, all those stupid boys had graduated. It was a whole new year! Then a boy, NOT from the music department, took a shining to me! At first I thought it was a joke. Boys outside the music department, were not my friends, let alone thought I was cute. He was SOOOO smooth. It makes me laugh thinking about it.

We started dating, and to my surprise, he didn't treat me like crap. We had a GREAT relationship.We never fought, or even argued. My best friend, got a boyfriend about the same time, and we were all inseparable. We all went to prom together, some more tan than the same others...(inside joke)

This boy taught me, I can be friends with the "cool kids", I was worth being loved, and most importantly, I was beautiful. He also taught me about loss. He left for boot camp, way too early in our relationship. But it made me who I am today.

You can't help but think what if? What if he had never "hit" on me in the hall by my locker. What if he had never gone into the Navy. I honestly wonder what kind of person I would be if it hadn't been for him.

I challenge anyone who reads this, to think back, and write up something on your blog, about a person, who you think helped shape the person you are today!

Be sure to let me know!