DIRECTIONS: read the following essay
The excitement of planning a playdate with my best friend quickly turned into shock and sadness when I accidentally overheard her parents discussing their upcoming move to a different state. As I sat in my friend's living room waiting for her to finish getting ready, I couldn't help but feel like my world was crumbling around me. How could my best friend be leaving without even telling me?
The realization of the secret my friend was keeping from me weighed heavily on my heart. Should I confront her about what I overheard or wait for her to tell me herself? I struggled with the decision, torn between wanting to know the truth and not wanting to ruin our friendship. As days passed without any mention of the move from my friend, the uncertainty and hurt grew inside me.
In the end, I mustered up the courage to bring up the topic with my friend. As we talked about her family's decision to move and the reasons behind it, I realized the importance of open communication and honesty in friendships. Despite the distance that would separate us, we made a pact to stay in touch and continue our friendship through phone calls and visits. Learning the secret was a difficult experience, but it ultimately strengthened our bond and taught me the value of being upfront with those I care about.
Then ANSWER THE FOLLOWING REFLECTION QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PERSONAL NARRATIVE ESSAY in a 4 th grade response.
1. Was your topic funny or serious? One sentence
2. How did you handle learning the secret? (Explain your answer.) (two sentences
3. What would you have done differently regarding the secret? (Explain your answer in three sentences .)
1. The topic was serious.
2. I handled learning the secret by talking to my friend about it, which helped us both to understand each other's feelings and come up with a solution.
3. If I could do something differently, I would have addressed the issue sooner instead of waiting, as it would have saved me from feeling hurt and uncertain for so long. I also would have expressed my feelings to my friend earlier to prevent any misunderstandings. Lastly, I would have focused on the importance of communication in friendships from the beginning, so that we could have avoided this situation altogether.