“Our experiences shape who we are,” I remember we laughed about it, Sam and Me. Man did we ever laugh. Talking and texting about the new load of crap our English teacher had been trying to explain. “Our experiences shape who we are?!” she moaned, “I mean they happen and they are fun to talk and reminisce about, but they don’t change who we are and will be as people!” I readily nodded at the time, quickly agreeing to the new “insight” she had discovered…. But I was wrong. I understand it perfectly now…. Unfortunately, its a little to late for Sam.

     It was a beautiful spring day. May 30Th, me and Sam were just getting ready to leave. We were going on a cruise, An early graduation present from our parents. Saying our last goodbyes we skipped happily on board, and no, I’m not kidding, we linked arms and sang as if we were in the Wizard of Oz. There wasn’t a care in the world.

     That night, after eating the biggest most magnificent meal of our young lives. Sam and I were sitting out on the deck talking and laughing underneath the stars. We were talking about our future plans and somehow ended up talking about that one English essay, “our experiences shape who we are,” suddenly she jumped up, she said she had to pee and ran across the deck towards the bathrooms. About 20 minutes later i went back to my room and straight to bed, assuming she had done the same since she hadn’t returned. The next mourning i looked everywhere for her, all of my efforts in vain…. Turns out, while running back, she slipped and had gone overboard…… Sam couldn’t swim.

     Our experiences shape who we are. That experience, through the heartbreak, taught me to live life to its fullest. And because of that experience I pay more attention to life itself and try not to let anything pass me by, because you never know. Its something ill never forget, Our experiences shape who we are.