Jada: If you don't mind me asking where did you get this turtle from?

Ezra: It's the notes [that I want to share a story about]. The turtle is just what I carry them in. So I got these notes from some friends that I go to a camp with, down in Colorado. So I was working at a separate summer camp and because of that I had to leave my first camp early. And my friends were sad about me leaving them early. So they gave me some notes to try and get me to go and hang out with them at the camp because I wasn't that far away anyway. It's just notes asking me to meet them  somewhere--I don't remember where--to go stargazing with them for a night.

The notes were delivered via other friends who were also going to the camp I was working at but they were going as the campers. At the start of that day I arrived and got these mysterious notes. They were folded into origami cranes. And so I got these mysterious origami cranes just handed to me. Because I was busy with all the campers arriving I didn't have a chance to look at them for a couple hours. I almost forgot about them and then I remembered I had them. I opened them and they were asking me to go stargazing with them, so I asked the camp leader if I would be able to. He said he wasn't sure, just because of how busy we would be. I don't think I asked him again if I was ever able to. But at the end of the day, we had done everything we needed to, so I just decided I was going to go and see them because they are friends I get to see once a year and I wanted to see them as much as I could. I left the camp, met up with them wherever it was they wanted to meet. I can't remember. And hung out with them for about an hour before I had to head back to the camp. 

Jada: What brought you all to this camp? What was the camp for?

Ezra: Okay, it’s very hard to explain it, but the camp that I was working at was a Buddhist military camp…which seems kinda contradictory. It focuses less on actual war and more about warriorship and what it means based on Buddhist teachings. That was the second camp I where working is about. The first camp that the friends were at is just a family camp that we go to every year. I met them there and because it's only once a year it's the only time I get to see them.

I guess I was just really excited to see them again because I hadn't seen them for a couple days. I was really excited that they wanted to see me that badly, that they wanted to give me this note because I hadn't realized how much they missed me as well. I remember feeling really glad to be surrounded by friends that good. 

Jada: If you had to give advice to somebody who is maybe trying to find friends in the right place, or just trying to find good people to surround themselves with, what advice would you give them?

Ezra: I guess be yourself, because if you have to change who you are to be friends with a person you're not going to like being around that person. You might not like the person you become because of that friend. Be willing to change somewhat but don't change who you are because it's unlikely that you'll find someone that matches whatever you want. Whoever your ideal friend is it's pretty unlikely you'll find someone who matches that exactly. But also don't change enormously just to be friends with one person. Wait until they know who you are and you know who they are. 

Note: The transcript above has been condensed from its original audio recording to improve the flow and readability of the story.