Prized Possession (Writing 101: Day Twenty)

Everyone has something that they keep as a prized possession. It can be a necklace,journal,bracelet, and multiple other types of possessions. Most of these have their own story behind them. It can be a gift from family,friends, or relationship partners. It could be something a person created during their school years, but either way, it’s something a person doesn’t want to be left without. Mine does have a story behind it.

First, I might as well explain where I got my prized possession from in the first place.

When I was a really young kid, 5 years old and in kindergarten, I met someone who wound up being my best friend for a long time. The kid was the only one that would talk to me because I was different than most other kids. I didn’t like saying a lot to other people that I didn’t know.

This kid wound up being my best friend from age 5-8. After that, I moved to a different Elementary School in the district causing us to lose contact for a few years. From 3rd-5th grade I didn’t see my friend at all, but I did miss him. We met up the first day of middle school in an art class; He recognized me almost immediately. We took time to get to know each other again; Even kids change after a couple years.

A few months later, the other friends he had met while I was away, talked to my friend about us dating. They all thought it would be a good thing for both of us and that it would work because of how close we had gotten. The one that was closest to me thought I had feelings for the kid; He was right, but we were really young at that point. 

We wound up agreeing to date, but we were young; It was a very innocent type of relationship, but no one had any problems for quite awhile with it. It wasn’t serious, a 12 and 11 year old, starting to date wouldn’t be. Even so, it lasted for 2 years.

The following year, during 7th grade, I went to my partner’s house more often than I used to. When I was there one day, my partner wound up finding something for me. Even though it was found on the ground, it was something I kept with me. It was the piece off a necklace, a heart-shaped, that I kept.

Of course, without a chain I couldn’t wear it, so I bothered one from my mother for that. I treasured it because we were dating, but we were young; The relationship itself didn’t last. 

For awhile after the break-up, I didn’t want to wear it anymore because of the memories it gave me, but I kept it.

Later on, I realized something. It wasn’t the person that gave it to me that made it special, it was one memory it gave me. The memory of the first person that was my friend.

It reminded me that not everyone in the world was bad. To this day, I wear it because of what it taught me. It’s a symbol for me. A symbol of the friend that I made when I was 5 years old. 

Even though we aren’t very close friends anymore, I’m thankful to the kid that gave me a chance. The kid that gave me a chance to have a friend. 

The kid taught me how to have a friend and how to deal with the feelings I had for the first time. I’m thankful for that still, even though he doesn’t know that. 

That’s why I still wear it and why it’s one of my prized possessions.