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A famous person named Will Rogers once said, "We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by." With that said I like to think of me as the person who's sitting on the curb clapping as heroes go by. In Youth Group we started talking about heroes. Everything from what makes a hero to who is our personal hero. It got me thinking more than I've thought in a long time. I started to make a mental list of who are my heroes in my life past and present. Everyone from Grammy to my best friend and dog, Cookie came to mind. But, in between those two there is someone named Syd also known to many as Sydney.
I first met Syd the summer of 2004. I didn't think much of it at the time and still don't really, but it's been almost a year now since we met and the memories just keep piling up. Syd is one of those people that in high school that weren't really popular, but you just knew they should be. Syd has different attributes about her that either make you love her or hate her. First, there's the attribute that she's everybody's friend. That attribute alone can really make you hate someone. For example, if I want to talk crap about someone I better not do it in front of Syd; I know she'll be the first to stop my ranting and give me a lecture on why I should love that person I'm talking crap about, rather than hate that person. I don't blame Syd for those lectures though because they really are time consuming and you might as well listen knowing it might come back to help you one day.
When it comes to Syd and I we can be as different as night and day, but we can also be as similar as a donkey and a mule. Me, being the donkey and Syd being the mule. Ok, so those aren't great comparisons, but still. Stick with me here, will you? I'm usually the goof ball who will laugh at anything, while Syd is the serious one who can keep a straight face no matter what. When it comes to similarities, we are both reliable. If you ask us for help with something we'll both be there to help no matter what.
No matter what any one says I will always consider Sydney my best friend and a hero. In my mind I can recall numerous occasions on which Syd was a hero to me or someone else, but most importantly me. I remember one day in the middle of Spring Break, the day started out like any other day. The weather outside seemed peaceful, but the weather inside of myself was anything but peaceful. A power outage inside of me was about to occur, I just didn't know it. Because I'm a workaholic who needs to enroll myself in a little WA (workaholics anonymous) I showed up at the Humane Society with my best friend Veronica, not feeling too great. I had the beginnings of a cold/stress breakdown. I was exhausted from stress both mentally and physically while getting a cold. I was pretty much useless volunteering that day, but I wasn't about to admit that to anyone; especially Sydney. As the day went on my health seemed to just get worse and worse. Working wasn't helping anything. On top of it all, I had a ton of stuff going on in my head nobody knew about, but then again I always have a lot going on in my head that nobody knows about. I wasn't supposed to leave the Humane Society until 6:00 p.m. to take Veronica home. When the clock struck 5:00 p.m. I was worn beyond all recognition. I could barely keep my eyes open, much less concentrate on what was going on around me. I decided the best thing to do was leave and go home to rest. Veronica had gotten another ride home so I could go home early. I clocked out after saying bye and telling Syd I would call her to let her know I made it home safely. When I got in my car, I called my mom to tell her I was on my way home. But, I couldn't get the key in the ignition. Something told me if I drove myself home I wouldn't make it home in one piece, but rather many different pieces. Since I have a fear of dying, I decided against driving myself home. I just knew I would pass out or something behind the wheel in between the Humane Society and my house (it's a 20 minute drive so anything can happen in 20 minutes). I went back inside to find Syd and tell her I couldn't drive myself home. When I found her and started telling her everything, I had a total breakdown. I couldn't stop crying. Finally, all of the stress combined with my cold had caught up to me. Syd went ahead and took off of work right then and there just to drive me home. I told her she didn't have to, but she insisted. Thanks to Syd driving me home I made it home safely in one piece and I got the rest I had needed all along.
I will never forget what Syd did that day back in March during Spring Break and to this day I can only imagine what would've happened had I decided against my better judgment and drove myself home, or at least tried to. Somebody, including myself, could've been injured, or even worse killed. It's moments and memories like the one I mentioned that make Syd a best friend and a hero. I can now grow up, one day have kids and tell them my hero and best friend is and was Sydney Miller.
I'm positive if you went up to Syd and said, "you're a hero" she would be like "Are you kidding? I'm no hero." Syd has always been there for me when I needed someone by my side. She has always kept me out of trouble when she's around making sure I don't get myself into something I can't get myself out of. She was even there for me when nobody else was. Syd is and always will be my best hero.
Until next time, God Bless! -Olivia
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