Friendship can come in many forms.
Sometimes it’s the 3 o’clock phone call after a bad breakup. Sometimes it’s binge eating chocolate and jello shots to forget all the troubles the real world throws at you. It can be the secrets you’ve never shared before, the house you feel just as comfortable in as your own, or the distance that never seemed to make a difference.
When I look back at the friendships I value the most, they aren’t the ones I’ve had the longest. It’s not the friendship that was my first roommate, the first person I told all my secrets to or even the person I have the most memories with.
The friendship I value most is the one that offered to drive 600 miles to pick me up when I didn’t want to drive across the country with a boy who broke my heart. It’s the one that drove me to the airport when no one else would. The one who made me laugh when I was crying over boys, family drama and the shocking reality of how cruel the world can be. She is the girl who inspires me to see the world from a different, weirder and better perspective. The only female in my life I’ve never grown tired of. The one who stayed up and sent drunk Snap chats with me explored new cities with me and supported me even when it put her in a tough spot. Now, with 2,500 miles between us, I know our friendship won’t waiver.
Laley, this is my post to you.
Though there is a time difference, I still open her messages, and she still responds, even when I reply half a day later. If she needed me at the break of dawn, I would answer the phone and I know she would do the same.
When it’s wacky Wednesday, I still get to see her dress like the outrageous, peculiar, tiny bombshell she is. She can still hear me sing Taylor Swift at the top of my lungs. It might not be in person, but it still makes my day a little bit better.
Like her using her amazing photography skills when she comes to see me in the city. No matter what we do, I know we will have a blast when we see each other again. Whether it’s sangria in the sun, s’mores over a gas stove, photo shoots or music shows, we always find the best in our activities…even if they end at 9 o’ clock at night.
It’s hard to see people other than family staying in your life forever. When a friend comes along and stays through the best, the hardest, the transitions and the changes, you know they will continue to be in your life through everything else to come.
Remember that apartment you had off Churn Creek? How I would come over and we would get stupid drunk and eat scones singing along to The Band Perry? Or the time the SWAT team came to our house? Or when we ate the best clam chowder on the freakin planet? Those are memories I will appreciate forever because as time has changed, our friendship still remains fun, weird and hilarious.
Literally, I have never been mad at her once. We get along so well, I never feel the need to start an argument. I never feel offended. We are able to be upfront and honest and don’t take things personally when we shouldn’t. There’s no bad blood, just mad love.
Though I’m not there, I still laugh when I open her videos and Snapchats.
Right now we are still so young and inexperienced with the world. There’s so many places we can go still, and so many things to explore. I can’t wait to make those memories with someone I am so grateful to have in my life. I know they will be just as good as the memories we’ve already made.
When I’m feeling a trip to the coast, she’s going to be the one I crash with. When she’s feeling a trip to the cities in the south, I’ll be the first one she calls for a quote.
No matter how crazy, emotional, clingy or irrational either of us may have been over breakups, mistakes, family or life, there have never been any feelings of judgement between us. I’ve never felt guilty or looked down upon by sharing what I am going through, and when she doesn’t know what to say I know it’s not because she thinks less of me.
So, now that I have expressed myself through words that usually can’t work their way out of my mouth, I hope you know how awesome you are and how much I appreciate your friendship. Here’s to many more awkward, crazy, hilarious and exciting memories!
