W henever I think back to the summer when I turned 14 I cringe at what happened at what could have happened and I only hope that the metaphorical bomb we created fell into the hands of someone who had the maturity to dispose of it immediately.

You’re probably wondering what on earth I’m talking about. So let me introduce myself. Hi! My name is Elisheva and I’m an average girl from a regular family from a normal if smallish city. Basically nothing really sets me apart from anyone else and I always used to wish I had some kind of distinction… but since I didn’t I especially loved making friends with other kids who did in the hope that their specialness would rub off on me somehow. Plus I felt special just by association. Am I making sense? I figure you’re either similar to me and nodding along in understanding or shaking your head completely not getting this at all. And that’s okay. But that’s the way I was.

Anyhow my city has a community overnight camp that is so small it doesn’t usually attract too many out-of-towners. Which is nice on one hand. The girls who attend camp are usually my school classmates and I get to know them on a different level. But on the other hand don’t you ever get itchy to get to know other people branch out a bit?

So when I was in eighth grade and we got a new kid in camp I literally felt my heart skip a beat. Maybe we’d end up being good friends! And then another interesting discovery: It turned out that Rachel was not only a fresh new face but she was a baalas teshuvah from a nearby town to boot! She went to public school and her whole family had only recently started taking on mitzvos. Her parents thought it would be an amazing experience for her to see frum girls up close and become friendly with them.

Well! I felt myself swell at the thought. At first I thought I’d be on my best behavior set the perfect example have her think Well if that is what a bas Yisrael looks like that’s what I want to be.…

But. Okay that lasted about an hour. I mean do you know how hard it is to sit ramrod straight constantly on guard that no lashon hara is spoken no over-the-top joking that Torah thoughts are always on the tip of your tongue?!

Maybe for some people that’s life. But that’s definitely not me!

It took me about a day to realize that Rachel in her own right was… well I don’t really like the word “cool” so much but she kind of was. And in a really nice way too not the snooty kind that is aloof and unreachable. She was just so friendly and smiley and sweet it seemed every girl in every bunk wanted to be friends with her.

And lucky old me Rachel was in my bunk.

Before I knew it Rachel was friends with everyone. But I wanted more! I wanted to be good friends close friends confiding in each other bonding deep into the night. (Excerpted from Teen Pages Issue 675)