How Well Do You Know Your Friends?
By Sarah, age 18, Pennsylvania
Sweet Designs Featured Writer
How well do you really know your friends? I don't consider myself popular in any way, but I thought that the friends I did have I was pretty close to. Well, I've kept meeting more people and becoming close to them, but tonight I was talking to one of them on AIM and I realized that I never really knew him.
I first met Matt B. through my neighbors. He was this gorgeous six foot muscular blonde I instantly started crushing on. I even asked him to the junior prom (though he declined). I hadn't really talked to him then because he was older and ... well ... a guy, and at that point I was in the giddy shy stage. We didn't keep in contact much, but I ended up working at the same job with him later on.
Recently we started talking more and I felt that I could truly confide in him. Matt is full of wisdom and care about others, and it fascinated me. I thought I knew him pretty well, but tonight just shocked me. We were talking and I mentioned something about having a crush on him when I first met him because he's one of those guys who puts himself down and doesn't get hit on as much as he should. And he's very modest. I was trying to build him up, so I was shocked as I found out that he is actually this kind of guy:
When you make everything about others and not about you, for me, it's everything, and that's my dream. I want to become an inspiring musician and make a difference in the world. But mostly I want to make a difference in Africa, getting kids medical attention. Alicia Keyes said that if we spent half the time on the people around the world that we do on celebrities, poverty would be over.
I never knew. I thought he was going to be an undercover spy or something top secret. This guy just completely blew me out of my seat. I was amazed that he went from being this macho workout freak guy to being this completely caring sensitive guy. I feel that maybe I was too focused on myself and what I could get out of our friendship to actually sit down and talk to him about his dreams and future. Finally I got over talking about myself and gave Matt a couple minutes of limelight, and I am in awe.
So honestly, let them talk. Even the ones you're not really friends with. Give them the time of day. Maybe you'll realize they are much more interesting than you thought.
