As you drive towards your next destination.

You leave me in your dust.

To rebuild. To recreate. To restart.

But how can I do that.

It all started in sixth grade.

Y'all helped me with simple things at first.

I learned how to open my locker.

where all my classes were.

what classes I didn't have to try in.

Then it moved on to watching from the outside, always wishing I could be part of “the group,” but at times being happy that I wasn't.

Next we hit high school, and I experienced a breakup and that was when it was official.

It only took one bad person, to taint my happiness, for me to gain an abundance

of people who truly loved me, and checked on me, and cared for me.

They were there for me when I made some bad choices.

They were there for me when I just needed someone to talk to.

They're always there to tell me the truth, like how I need to get it together… all the time

They've always been there when I need words of encouragement or some tough love

I imagine they will be there for my first heartbreak

They will be there when I fail and when I succeed

They will be there through the good and the bad

They will be here forever

So, it's too easy to imagine why it's so hard to see the sisters that have always been there for me, the brothers who I’ve always loved to be around, suddenly abandon me.

No, not abandon, but leave their absence.

There will be an absence of knowledge to which no one could exist wiser, an absence of love to which no one could show harder, an absence of hope to which no one could wish brighter, an absence of strength to which no one could partner, an absence of talent to which no one would ever conquer…

The aroma of blood, sweat, and tears, for these seven long years...

Who would’ve thought six years ago that today, I’d be professing the emptiness that will follow when they go on to do better things, when they go on to be better people…

But then, who would’ve thought six years ago that I’d have such a strong bond with these girls, these boys, my brothers and sisters, my family…

This family will stay strong, this family will be full of great people who do even greater things…

So, to my family,

Though you drive towards your next destination: NYU, Hampton,Troy, Georgia State, Kennesaw, Valdosta, Clark Atlanta, Allegheny, the U.S. Army;

And leave me in the dust,

I hope you leave just a little hope, a little knowledge, a little love, a little talent, and a little strength for us back home, because we’d never be able to do this without you.

Love your biggest Cheerleader