Forever is the Way

The Greatest Gifts

I get up from the couch and walk outside to get some fresh air. This has been a really exciting experience for me, and I'm still trying to take it all in. I guess that I should never say never anymore. Sometimes you have to give it time. Just as I finish thinking, Shane walks outside.

"Such a beautiful day isn't it?" he asks me. I look up at him and scoot over so he can have a seat. "Yes, it is. I feel like writing a poem about nature now." Shane pulls out a notebook and a pen, "What's this for?" I ask. He hands it to me, "Write away," he smiles. In my hand was his poetry notebook, "Are you sure? This is yours, I don't want to write some crappy poem in your book of excellence." "Don't let anyone tell you that your poetry isn't good enough. I've read it and it's marvelous." He hands me the pen and I start to write. Shane reads as I write, and I notice his smile getting bigger and bigger.

"This may seem like a lot, but do you think we could collaborate on a poem?" he asks. Me collaborate with him? Does he have any idea how advanced his poems are compared to mine? Then again, he could help me become a better writer. "Of course!" I finally answer. "Maybe later on tonight we can start." he says. "Sounds like a good idea to me." I hug him and then walk back inside.

"Hey! I drew you something." Nick says as I walk inside. Now I'm extremely excited to see what it is. I walk over to Nick and stand in front of him and his canvas. "This may sound weird, but we had a guy take some pictures of us by the canal last night so that I could draw a good one." So, I'm really starting to flip out now. "So, you drew all of us?" I ask with a slightly confused, yet happy, face. "Yes," he says as he pulls the cover off the drawing. I stand in awe as it sits in front of me. Paul was carrying me while Nick and Shane were on his side. The background was amazing with the sun setting. "Nick!" I scream in excitement, "You drew this over night? You're amazing!" I hug him tightly and tears run down my face as I think about the poetry with Shane, and the drawing from Nick. "I have no words to say anymore." I look at them both.

"That's not it," I hear Paul say from upstairs. That isn't it? I've already cried once today, there's still more to see? I'm anxious to walk upstairs now. I get upstairs and my door is closed. "Can I come in?" I ask. "Come on," Paul says. I slowly open the door, and as I look on my wall, I see pictures that were taken in the past two days. "Are you serious?" Tears flow down my face once more. "I'm not done, still almost two weeks left of pictures to take.

"I don't even have words to say. You are all just...so...awesome! Thank you all so much for the things you have given me. These are the greatest gifts I could have gotten. They're from the heart and are priceless."

The guys gather around me and hug me. The feeling that I have right now can probably never be matched. They give me the things that money can't buy. These moments will never be forgotten. How could they? They're plastered on my wall.