Best best buddies...

Sara has been involved with Best Buddies for all six years she has been in high school.  It is one of the most amazing programs out there for pairing up special needs students with regular education students.  Best Buddies work hard to change perceptions among the student population, showing what true friendship looks like- and that each group has more in common than they do differences.

Sara has been lucky enough to have Sarah as her buddy for the past two years.  Sarah is the real deal.  She is in this program for all the right reasons and is one of the most genuine people I have ever met.  Her walk matches her talk, and that goes a long way for me.

Sarah goes out of her way to schedule fun outings with Sara, participate in school events together, and even stop by the lunchroom to say hi to Sara during the school day.  Today they walked the Buddy Walk together.  Sarah was asked to give a speech about what Best Buddies meant to her and I wanted to share what she said with y'all today, because there is so much real to it and cuts right to the heart of what we try to teach our children about what a true friendship is.

This is what she wrote...

This is my second year being buddies with Sara, and in these past two years she has become one of my best friends.  Meeting her was one of the best things to happen to me in high school.   She has taught me all of the words to every Justin Beiber song and she has taught me lessons that you don't learn in a classroom, you learn by experience.  Sara doesn't judge other people by how much money they have, or how they look, she only notices their character, and she is nice top everyone no matter what.  More people in this world should be like that.  Being her friend has made me a better person, and I'm grateful for that.  
Our friendship means everything to me and this being Sara's last year in high school makes me sad because I won't see her everyday at lunch anymore and I won't see her walking down the halls, but I know she will be off in the world doing bigger and better things, and I'm confident in saying that we will be lifelong friends and I know we will keep in touch.  
Sara always dances like no one is watching and never fails to put a smile on my face, or anyone's face for that matter.  I love Sara like a sister, and I have been so lucky and so blessed to have met her.  I'm so grateful for the impact she and all of the buddies have made in my life, and I hope that everyone gets a chance in their lifetime to have a friendship like ours.

In reading what she wrote I cried.  Not sad tears, but oh so happy tears, because all those years ago when I held my little girl and thought she'd never have a friend- I was wrong.  I was so wrong, and for that I am so happy.