Feb. 21, 2014: Friends help make us who we are, by Ashton Hittle

Friends are important to everyone, no matter the age.

I asked my peers why they thought friends were important to them. Many of their comments were the same. “They are your second family.” “Who else are you going to be close with and let out your feelings?”  “Friends make great memories that will last a lifetime.” Those are all powerful statements.

Friends can be important in molding who you are. Friends can push you in the right direction and help you reach your goals. They can be good influences when you feel like doing something wrong. They can step in and push you the other way. Having a friend can make you want to go beyond what you have done.  Sometimes they can push you into trying new things or help you be more relaxed. This can lead to you finding that thing you really love to do.

A true friend can be there when you are in the worst of times. When you feel like the world is not turning in a good way, your friend can help you with your problems. Friends stick by you no matter how bad it gets. Friends help build a support system for when you need it.

Something special about friendship is that friends can get away with giving you a reality check. They can tell you things you need to improve, behaviors you need to change, and that decisions you are making aren’t the best. If you trust them and take their advice, you’ll be better for it.

Only you can pick your friends so you might as well pick some pretty good ones to help get you through life. Without my friends I would be totally different and I would not be this far in life without them.

What about you?  Would you be who you are today without friends?

— Ashton Hittle is an eighth grader at Concordia Junior High School.  She is the daughter of Chris and Heidi Hittle.