WHEN IN DOUBT BELIEVE by Nicole F., Boothwyn, PA

Ah, there Jane is, sitting across from me, laboring over her paper. Her hand is tangled in her blonde hair, her soft blue eyes pleading with ideas that hit her all at once.

"I can't do this! The more ideas, the more confused I get!"

Isn't that always the way? You have to know Jane to understand what I mean. She's perfect! (Alright, so nobody's perfect, but she comes pretty close.) She's a great student - always making the grade. Bright and witty, she can easily boast a large number of friends; her sweet demeanor is a natural attraction to all. And she's so lovely in that simple, yet elegant way.

Jane is everything I want to be; she's the cherry on top, the icing on the cake. She's my inspiration (in a purely friendly way), like that song from "Karate Kid." Yet, there she is, struggling for the words that come so naturally to me. My inspiration, my friend, unable to express herself in the right words. And yet, nothing tarnishes that golden aura that surrounds her. Jane is an angel, her halo perfectly straight (unlike my bent one) and once again she has inspired me to believe.

I may not be the best student, the sweetest person or the next beauty queen, but I'm still someone - someone special. Jane has her talents and her strengths, just as I do, and her frustrated smile shows me that, yet again, she has shared some secret wisdom with me. People like Jane inspire. People like Jane help people like me to believe in ourselves.