It’s seldom in life that you find something you believe to be magical. This is because the qualities of something magical can be elusive in a flawed world. As we’ve grown together, we’ve all felt the warm embrace of our family. We’ve cracked smiles from a friends joke, and the domain of our own minds has taught us lesson upon lesson. We’ve learned through these things, even in our young life, that this world asks of us a vast amount of sacrifice and sometimes, suffering, to find a means to live by. However, we’ve also learned something of opposite truth, and far more splendor. We’ve learned that sometimes, through an accrued effort of good will by good hearts, life grants a favor. To us, the favor comes in the form of our home and school, both havens of safety and comfort, learning and love. Through these places that are not only physical, but in our hearts, we’ve been given an opportunity to grow through time spent in the depths of our own minds. These gifts, given to us sheerly out of the magnanimity of hearts who care, give us the things we need to find our happiness in life: positivity, toughness, and knowledge. This young life we’ve led has been something truly magical, a favor born of the greatest sort of kindness. In return, we can only fervently promise that we will never forget this story that’s been our youth. Every chapter, paragraph, word and letter will ring true for the rest of our lives.

            Our homes have been a place unlike any other, full of joy and wonder, the occasional challenge, and most prominently, lessons learned. In our homes, we’ve enjoyed luxuries big and small. Mom buying Hershey’s bars, dad watching cartoons with you; these small luxuries are a lot of what make these memories of home so sweet. There were more significant pleasantries yet, new pets or family traditions. We’ll never forget the day Scruffy pawed into our house, padding sleepily to our rooms and promptly chewing our blankets to ribbons. We don’t forget fishing with dad either, hours on the boat leading to hours of exaggerated story telling. We’ve come to learn though that even at home where there is enjoyment, there is bound to be some degree of hardship. There have been arguments among our siblings. The basement has, indeed, flooded. Curfews have been missed. This is only a truth in life. It is not, however, the pleasantness or lack thereof that defines how wonderful our time at home has been. What does define it is the interpretation, the manner in which we take these remarkable things into our heart. The lessons at home are lessons forever. We’ve learned of conflict and compromise, smiles and sarcasm. Things like these are among what make home a place unlike any other. We won’t forget that as we make homes of our own and happily give the gift back.

            School is the place that we’ve grown to know as the key to our future, and it has taken care of us more than we could ever wish for. Despite conflicts and troubles here and there, it seems right that we’ve found school to be an amazing experience full of mirth and merriment, a place of knowledge. Between an exuberant amount of school spirit, and an equally impressive amount of deviousness, we haven’t gone a day without cracking a smile. We’ve excelled at sports, dominated on the volleyball court, ran like the wind on the track and fought like monsters on the football field. We’ve bragged about A’s and had more than our fair share of not-so study parties. Pranks have been pulled, spirits have been lifted. It’s in these ways, whether it’s sticky noting a locker or being brought to tears after a hard earned victory, that we’ve grown to enjoy this place as not only a source of education, but of joy. While there is an insurmountable quantity of happiness to be found at school, the fact that there are some troubles is undeniable. We’ve all gotten into a fight or five, and it’s only understandable that a window was injured during production of our education. Drama is a constant, and while one day we’re calling it stupid, the next day will find us in the World War III of arguments with our best friends, who we’ll promptly go to lunch with after it’s all said and done. It is likely that we’ve all done a fair percentage of our homework moments before it’s due. We’ve likely also gone to bed terribly late, or rather, terribly early, after finishing an Algebra assignment or research paper, fueled by Mountain Dew and desperation. It is through these ups and downs though that we’ve learned an awful lot from school; more than fractions and the scientific method, something deeper than state capitols. We’ve learned of friends and their meaning to us, of how we will have to periodically push ourselves beyond our limits to achieve our goals. We’ve learned victory, we’ve known defeat. School is a one of a kind place, and while we might not remember the main characters in Romeo and Juliet, we’ll never forget what an experience it’s been.

            We’ve all lain in bed at night, mind running, maybe puttering, rolling down a lonely road. There’s dust flying, gravel kicking, thoughts are racing by, and soon, we’re lost. We get lost in paradise, perhaps, losing our minds to the ones we love. We’ve thought about her eyes, his smile, and we can’t stop. We lie there, thinking sweet thoughts and smiling quiet smiles, because sometimes, our happiness is such that we can’t help ourselves. A tremulous force is to be found beneath this shining surface, however. As you rumble down this road, you’ll find you aren’t alone. Happiness and sadness will be running by your side. You’ll find that when one tires, the other takes its turn; a relay of joy and sorrow. When it’s time for this sorrow, we’ve found ourselves back on that road, only now it’s wicked. The sky’s black. We’re looking for a way out of our mind turned speeding vehicle in a great black space, and if we slam the brakes, we’ll only go spinning away, flying hopelessly fast into a dark abyss. It’s taken us a long time to learn that we need simply to let off the accelerator. We’ve lain there in bed, this way or that, twisting and turning, wiling away the hours and telling ourselves that time heals all wounds. The hours spent locked in our head seem unreal. We discover ourselves and unlock our own secrets. We take the experiences had on our road trip through life and turn them into lessons learned. Our minds are a place unlike school or home, or anywhere else. It is the only place that we’re truly alone, where victory and tragedy aren’t shared. What we deal with here is a thing that cannot be matched. Dwelling in our minds teaches lessons to our souls.

            This young life we’ve led has been magical beyond ordinary means. It’s been an adventure of magnificent delight and agonizing hardship. Through these trials and victories, we’ve learned lessons stacked upon lessons, growing up and up with us. Through these magical times we’ve come to learn love and enjoyment, trials and difficulties, ups and downs. We’ve lived life simply, magically. Now we find it’s time to say goodbye, time for us to accept the “lasts” of this young life. The last time Scruffy will paw us awake, the last time we pull off our sports gear, the last night spent enraptured by tumultuous thought or captivated by peaceful sleep in our room. It would seem we’ve been counting “lasts” all along. It’s here now that we cast our farewells to our friends and our teachers, who are often one in the same. We whisper sweet sorrows of departure in the ears of loved ones, we’ll cast a final wave saying “take care,” and we know that our words or gestures will never be enough to express just how much we will miss this. Our farewells, however, are not final. If there’s one thing we’ll take away from this wonderfully young life, it’s that goodbye isn’t forever. It’s the love and the memories of home and school and self that will stay with us forever and always. It’s seldom in life you find something you believe to magical, but that’s perfectly fine. We’ll step foot into our new lives knowing that magic is forever, and our story never ends.