摘要：
WarmEncounterontheFirstDayofSchoolIntroduction:Thefirstdayofschoolisalwaysanexciting... WarmEncounterontheFirstDayofSchool
Introduction:
Thefirstdayofschoolisalwaysanexcitingtime,butforeleven-year-oldLily,itwasamixtureofexcitementandanxiety.Asshewalkedthroughthecrowdedhallways,tryingtofindherclassroom,shecouldn'thelpbutfeelalittlelost.Butlittledidsheknowthatthisfeelingofbeinglostwouldleadtooneofthemostamazingencountersofherlife.Lilywasashygirlwhohadjustmovedtothisnewschool.Shewasnervousaboutmakingnewfriendsandfittingin.Asshelookedaroundatalltheunfamiliarfaces,herheartbegantorace.Butsheknewshehadtobebraveandtryherbest.Afterwalkingforwhatseemedlikeages,Lilyfinallyfoundherclassroom.Shetookadeepbreathandpushedopenthedoor.Tohersurprise,theclassroomwasalreadyfilledwithstudents.Shequicklyscannedtheroom,lookingforanemptyseat.
AsLilylookedaround,shenoticedaboysittingaloneinthebackoftheroom.Hehadcurlybrownhairandbigbrowneyesthatseemedtosparkleinthelight.Lilyfeltdrawntohimanddecidedtositnexttohim.Theboy'snamewasMax,andhetoohadjustmovedtothisnewschool.LikeLily,hewasalsofeelingalittlenervousaboutmakingnewfriends.ButwhenLilysatnexttohim,hefeltasenseofrelief.Theteacherbegantheclass,andLilyandMaxstartedworkingontheirassignments.Theydidn'tsaymuchtoeachotheratfirst,butastheyworked,theybegantotalk.LilylearnedthatMaxlovedcomicbooksandvideogames,justlikeshedid.Theyalsodiscoveredthattheybothlovedtodraw.LilyshowedMaxsomeofherdrawings,andhewasimpressed.
Astheclasswenton,LilyandMaxfoundthemselveslaughingandjokingtogether.Theyhadsomuchincommonandfeltliketheyhadknowneachotherforyears.Itwasasiftheyweremeanttomeet.Afterclass,LilyandMaxwalkedtotheirlockerstogether.Theyexchangedphonenumbersandpromisedtohangoutafterschool.Lilyfeltlikeshehadmadeatruefriend.Asthedaywenton,Lilycouldn'thelpbutfeelgratefulforthechanceencountershehadwithMax.Sherealizedthatsometimesthebestthingsinlifehappenunexpectedly.Overthenextfewweeks,LilyandMaxbecameinseparable.Theyworkedonartprojectstogether,playedvideogames,andexploredthecity.Theyevenstartedacomicbookclubwithsomeoftheirclassmates.
Lily'slifehadchangedforthebettersincemeetingMax.Shewasnolongerafraidofbeingnewtotheschool,andshehadfoundatruefriendwhoacceptedherforwhoshewas.Oneday,LilyandMaxwerewalkingthroughaparkwhentheysawanelderlymansittingonabench.Helookedlonely,andLilyfeltcompelledtogotalktohim.Theman'snamewasMr.Johnson,andhehadbeencomingtotheparkeverydayforthepastyearsincehiswifehadpassedaway.LilyandMaxlistenedashetoldthemstoriesofhislifeandhowmuchhemissedhiswife.LilyandMaxstartedvisitingMr.Johnsoneverydayafterschool.Theywouldbringhimbookstoreadandhelphimwitherrands.TheyevenorganizedafundraisertohelpMr.Johnsonpayforatriptovisithisgrandchildren.
LilyandMax'skindnessandcompassionhadchangedMr.Johnson'slife.Hefeltlesslonelyandmoreconnectedtotheworldaroundhim.Hewasgratefulfortheirfriendship.Astheschoolyearwenton,LilyandMax'sfriendshipcontinuedtogrow.TheyhadbecomeatriowithMr.Johnson,andtheywentonmanyadventurestogether.Theyevenstartedacommunityserviceclubatschool.Lilycouldn'tbelievehowmuchherlifehadchangedsincethatfirstdayofschool.Shehadgonefromfeelinglostandalonetohavingtwoofthebestfriendsshecouldeveraskfor.Astheendoftheschoolyearapproached,Lilyknewthatshewouldbeleavingtheschoolsoon.Shedidn'twanttosaygoodbyetoMaxandMr.Johnson,butsheknewitwasinevitable.
Onthelastdayofschool,LilyandMaxwalkedtotheparktovisitMr.Johnsononelasttime.Theybroughthimacardandsomeflowerstosaythankyouforbeingsuchagreatfriend.Astheysaidtheirgoodbyes,Lilycouldn'thelpbutfeelemotional.Sheknewthatthisencounterhadchangedherlifeinsomanyways,andshewasgratefulforeverymoment.Lilyrealizedthatsometimesthebestthingsinlifehappenunexpectedly.It'sallaboutbeingopentonewexperiencesandtakingchances.AsLilywalkedawayfromthepark,sheknewthatshewouldneverforgetthewarmencounteronthefirstdayofschoolthathadledhertofindtwoofthemostamazingfriendsintheworld.Itwasaserendipitousmomentthatshewouldcherishforever.
