I’ve been chastised—and rightfully so.

In my last post, I failed to mention meeting up with Chloé for the first time since we met seven years ago.

So…

I’d never flown in an airplane until the second semester of Grade 12, except for a trip to Disney World when I was too young to remember it.

That semester changed everything.

The first opportunity came through an organization called the Youth Action Group. I’m not entirely sure what we actually did, but I know we had noble intentions. Our principal agreed to pay for two students to attend a Youth Canada Association (YOUCAN!) conference in Toronto.

Rather than holding a speech or essay competition to choose who would go, our names were placed in a hat and two were drawn. I would have preferred a competition because I tend to do well at that sort of thing, but democracy prevailed.

And so did luck.

Tracy and I were selected to represent Carleton North High School at Resolve It! 2002.

It was Tracy’s first flight too. As the plane took off, we both gripped the armrests and white-knuckled our way to 30,000 feet.

We spent four days at the Regal Constellation Hotel near the airport in Etobicoke. I think it’s since been demolished. Although we were technically in Toronto, we never actually got to see the city. It was just the hotel and convention, with airport shuttles in between.

Later that same school year, I flew again as part of the school band and choir trip to Spirit River, Alberta.

Then, not long afterward, the Florenceville Rotary Club held its annual competition to select a student from Carleton North to attend the Adventures in Citizenship program in Ottawa.

Traditionally, the winner had been chosen through a speech competition, but that year the process changed to an essay and interview.

I thought my previous trips might work against me. Surely the selection committee would think I’d already had enough opportunities.

Instead, I was selected.

The program brought students from across Canada together to learn about their country. We attended a mock court, toured the Canadian Museum of Civilization, visited Parliament Hill, sat in Members’ seats in the House of Commons (I even had my picture taken in Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s seat), met the Speaker, had lunch with Members of Parliament, and stayed with Rotary host families.

One of the people I met on that trip was an eccentric girl named Chloé.

We became friends.

During those few days, we got to know each other, exchanged contact information, and promised to stay in touch.

And we did.

Over the years we’ve chatted online, talked on the phone, and occasionally gone months without speaking. But whenever we reconnect, it’s as though we were together only last week. It’s a very unique friendship.

She’s one of my dearest friends.

I told her years ago that when I become Prime Minister, she’ll be my top advisor.

And I’m sticking to that.

I have to run.

This story will continue in the next post.

Tomorrow is another day. Always an adventure.