I struggled with friendships throughout my entire childhood. I was very quiet, more than a little shy, and extremely lacking in the confidence that helps most people in this area. I remember meeting my very first friend in kindergarten, though, and it was a girl I sat with on the bus. (Side note: I never even rode the bus except for maybe three times.) Her name was Allyson, and the first time I ever met her was a year before that in a vacation bible school at a nearby church. Her dad was the pastor of the small church in my area, and I was so glad that I saw a familiar face that day, in a sea of unfamiliar ones on that big, scary bus.