“It builds character.”
Megan Faulkner grew up with these three words echoing in her ears. The followed every mistake, accident, disappointment and triumph.
From crashing on her bike at three years of age to transitioning through a move to a new town halfway through high school, these words followed to offer lessons and encouragement.
“It builds character.”
Almost everyone can relate to the stress of moving for the first time. Couple that with having to adjust to a new high school after having just settled into the rhythm of the old one. A new town meant a fresh start with new friends to be made. But how do you do that when you “haven’t had to make new friends since first grade?”
“Truthfully I can’t tell you how I made the friends I have now. I was a pretty weird and awkward teenager,” said Faulkner. “I guess it helps when the girl who became my best friend was just as awkward as me.”
Through some lucky twist of fate, and awkward circumstances, these two girls made a difference in each other’s lives.
“She helped me come out of my shell and really figure out who I am,” said Faulkner.
Faulkner also attributes her best friend, whom she declined to name, with helping her embrace her Butte, Montana, roots.
“I helped her out of a pretty bad relationship. My first instinct has always been to help. She showed me that I can make a positive difference when I was too shy to do so before.”
“He was a jerk who needed to be stood up to. I don’t think he expected a girl a foot shorter than him to not cower away when threatened,” she laughed. “I’m a Butte girl through and through. Take that as you will, but I’m proud of who I am thanks to her.”
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