I Admire You

I wish I lived in a world where you could walk up to people and, without being embarrassed or obnoxious, tell them exactly what you think is so special about them. I know this girl: she's my friend, but we don't hang out outside of school or anything. But the thing is, she is an example for me like no one else has been. I have learned things from her that I never expected to find in any human being. So even if she never reads this--or if she does--here are the things I admire about her:

She's cheerful. Not obnoxious, "you're-a-bad-person-for-not-taking-joy-in-every-second-of-every-day" cheerful that makes the people around her feel bad. She's genuinely cheery, and she makes you feel better by just saying hello.

She's sweet. To everyone, not just her close friends. She can make a person feel like they are liked and appreciated (even if they aren't) because she's so sincere and kind. I've never heard her put someone down for no reason.

She's outgoing and confident. When our drama department at school went to festival and all the casts/crews got together for a Q&A, she popped right up and won over everyone in the room in a heartbeat. I felt proud to be associated with her. She set an image for herself and for us, and everyone was happy that she was on OUR side.

She's strong. She doesn't put up with any bullshit, not even from her best friends. She'll also stand up for kids around her who have to deal with bullshit, from strangers to friends (like me) to close friends. She's not afraid to give someone a helping hand.

She's honest.
She's smart.
She's kind.
She's understanding.
And she can meet someone and be ready to like them and get to know them; she doesn't judge. That is such a rare quality nowadays.

This girl isn't perfect. She has as many flaws as the rest of us, and I don't even know her that well; I'm probably full of crap. But she's human, and that's probably the best quality of all. I like her and admire her because I understand a lot about her. All these things that I think she is...whether or not she actually is them, she's one of the best examples of a good person I've ever met. I hope that I'll remember her for as long as I think I will, and I hope I can learn from her. People like this girl don't come around very often. I feel lucky to know her.