Flashback Friday

Today I am having such flashbacks today from highschool  - and its been (eeep) about 8 years! Gosh that happened fast.

Today I remember two special people - well three but I don't remember V, she's a part of my every day life.

My grade 9 gym teacher Mrs. Standish. LOVED her. She was the first authority figure in my life who was really open and honest.
honest about our bodies, our self esteem, our experiences and so much more. There wasn't any question we couldn't ask.

After the first couple months she found girls at the school in general were being pretty rough on each other. Her solution? Sit in the circle and tell everyone our worst moments.

The circle was a private event, took 2-3 classes to accomplish, and the information we heard was not to be brought outside the circle. It was us so vulnerable to each other, made us see that Girl A might have better clothes/boyfriend/grades etc. than Girl B but we all have hardships too.

I balled for 2-3 days worth of classes. How can all these girls have gone through such hard times? we were only 14!!! Not only that, what was I going to say? At that point in my life my parents were together, no one had ever died, we had food on the table, clothes to wear, I was not adopted, no one I knew nor myself had ever had a serious disease. I had nothing. Oh wait when I was little I wet the bed - that compares to someone's mom dying right?

I was so embarrassed that wetting the bed was the only thing I could come up with that I said nothing. I said nothing, but I think I used a whole Kleenex box to myself.
I have never forgotten this.
Best. Teacher. Ever.

I also remember when K passed away in grade 12. I barely knew her, but I was hit so hard.
Life can just end.
Hers was the first funeral I ever attended. I had never even been to a visitation before.

V has such a wonderful heart. There is a legend that if you make 1000 cranes the person who is sick will get better. K was in a coma after her car accident so V started to make cranes.
I remember a teacher in elementary school reading this book to us. I loved the idea and the sentiment. I also wanted to be a part of something.

I thrive on being a part of things. I am a people pleaser. I LOVE comments and likes on Facebook and check out my blog stats daily! (There are people from all over the world checking my little Canadian blog! Russia, United States, Germany etc.!!! Thank you all!)

So we went class to class and taught everyone we could how to make cranes. We had big cranes, little cranes. Plain cranes and multi-coloured cranes.

K passed. We were so close to 1000. She was gone. We cried. Hard. Then we finished our remaining cranes.
We had a mass for her in the school gym (we were a catholic school) and displayed the cranes. If my memory serves me correctly they were hung in the chapel afterwards.

*Sigh* highschool, where I thought the road that was my life was bumpy. I had no idea what would be in store.
Thank God for, well, God, amazing friends, and wonderful family. <3

What are your most prominent highschool memories?

Until we meet again.