Five years ago I would have been able to say that my friends and I were pretty much one in the same. We watched sports, played sports, did well in school, hated politics, and socialized with anyone we considered to be 'normal', what ever normal means? However, I can truly say that within the last few years, I have have truly gained the understanding of friendship. Friends are there to keep you grounded, keep you spontaneous, make you laugh, and not to mention keep you focused in life. Friendship has nothing to do with color, race, socioeconomic background, religion, or sex. To my friends I say thank you for keeping me sane and making these days on Earth a blast. I am a strong believer in respect and trust and the belief that if I cannot respect you then I cannot trust you. One thing I can say is that all of you have gained my respect and my trusts and have influenced my life in numerous ways. Many people say that you find your true friends during your college years. It is not because you meet most of them during your college years, it is because all those you held so dear in high school disappear of the face of the earth. I can truly say that my high school friends are still around and although many of us are on different paths in life it is still evident that we are all here to stay.