This is a moment that has been 20 years in the making. Let me try to explain...At first, high school was a really horrible place for me. More than a few months went by with me being a lost soul. Trying to navigate my way through new classes, old friendships, crazed hormones, my creative inclinations, my parents, my family -- even my position in the Universe -- was difficult before I met two of the most influential people in my young life.
I met Heather Davis when we were both Freshmen. She was a force...or more to the point...she was this little ball of free love and creative energy that was filled to the brim with angst and punk-rock bravado. Anti-social, yet one of the most popular girls there. I immediately wanted to get to know her (who didn't?) and be near such amazing energy. Luckily, we "clicked" right away over our mutual interests -- Soft Cell, Prince, Art and our dislike of Honors Biology class. We became fast friends. Sleep-overs, hanging-out in her bedroom painting, listening to music and rearranging furniture, shopping at the Goodwill, going to drinking parties with boys twice our age, flipping-off the world and its preconceived notions about what we were supposed to be -- typical teenage behaviour! But in all those moments, I was truly finding myself and learning more about who I was and who I wanted to be.
And then she introduced me to Aliza Bridges, known to all as Ali. She too was this creative and confident force that I immediately jived with. When I wasn't with Heather...or we weren't all together...I was with Ali. She was very clever and witty, but more grounded in reality than Heather. We would hang-out in Art class in this special back room where the teacher (the lovely Bruce Walls) would let us create and listen to our own music and just be. She also had these kookie hippie/strongly religious type parents that oddly enough, I really enjoyed talking with too. They engaged me in conversation as an equal -- which was something very new for me. I ate it up.
Heather's Dad (who was in the military) got sent to England our Sophomore year, so even though we all kept in touch through snail mail, Ali and I forged a friendship that became stronger than that of mine and Heather's. In fact, we were pretty much inseparable until a few months before the end of school. Right before graduation, Ali got diagnosed with lymphoma and was sent to John Hopkins for extensive treatments. I remember, going to the school to tell all her teachers and walking into the Art room and Mr. Walls (having clearly already heard the news) just extended out his hand and without words, gave me the biggest hug and showing of understanding I had ever received. I have never forgotten that gesture from him -- never will.
So while, I was working to save money for SCAD and Heather was living a crazy life abroad and then in West Virginia...our dear friend Ali had to go through all that at the tender age of 17. I was there by her side as much as I could be and she fought the good fight for four more years. Some of my best memories are of Ali in those last 4 years of her life. She showed me how to cope, how to take one day at a time, how to keep laughing, but also how to always stay true to yourself and your ideals.
Ironically, a year later, after Heather and I had renewed our long distance friendship, she got into a car accident and was thrown from the vehicle. Pronounced dead at the scene, she left behind a baby girl and a family that hasn't recovered since.
They both taught me so much about life and about how to listen to my intuition. Words really can't describe what they meant to me and for me. They live in my heart still -- even as time has passed. I've been to college, gotten married, had two children...but I've always tried to live my life to the fullest...a little bit for them and also some for me -- because most of all that's what they taught to do!
So, fast-forward to 20 years later. I'm at the high school reunion and who walks in the door, but our dear Art teacher, Mr. Walls. We talk for a very long time and he tells me to come by the old school. He's still there teaching and he has something for me. Next time I'm in-town, I stop by the school and find him screen printing away in the very different art room. We reminisce some more, then he pulls out this study that Ali had painted back in school. He had kept it all these years, safe from the elements and hands of other students, just to give it to me one day. I was floored. Again, he provided me with a gesture of kindness and understanding that I will never forget. It was an amazing full-circle moment...that even now I cannot completely describe. It's like the love, the memories of my two incredible friends, the times we shared, the art we made, the times we all spent together with Mr. Walls in the art room, the twenty years that have passed since-- all came together in one beautiful moment. Thank you lovely, Bruce!!!
Me and Mr. Walls after all these years.
The old room where we hung-out and made art. It looked very different back then...
Ali's study -- BEAUTIFUL!
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