Unicorn Forgiveness, 17 years later

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I had this best friend in junior high. Mary. She was a sweet, gentle soul who loved nature, animals, laughing and dreaming of world travel. She hit puberty slightly before me and was invited to join a group of kids who listened to their music in the smoking room of our alternative school and tended to garner their identity from being edgy and cynical and unkind to kids who didn't fit with them. Kids like me. Mary, being as soft and innocent as she was, easily was swept up in the tide of their invitation to belong, and the temptation of that rush of power that comes from meanness. Mary never bullied - she just snubbed me utterly. The other kids made fun of me and tried to set me up for mean pranks, which I didn't fall for. I tried to sell chocolates to make friends and one person bought them. I left the school before the year was out. I didn't know at the time that the kids then turned on Mary, did the same thing to her, she left too! Mary found me years later, via another blog I wrote a decade ago. She apologized, shared her story and we became connected beautifully again. She's met my kids and my husband. I've met her husband and hope to meet her kids someday soon. We are going to be putting together a video about our friendship and how it survived the bullies. Today I got a note from Mary. She says, "You have a lot of wisdom to share and I'm glad you have a venue to do it on your own terms! I love your positive messages that you share. I always look for your posts. I appreciate your truths and thought I should tell you." Look for our video soon! Mary is very busy with her babies but hopes to carve out time before too long!