Dear Best Friend,

You're the second sister I always wanted. The day I found out that you were moving three states away I broke down. I thought: "What am I going to do without my sidekick? Who will I turn to when life gets tough?" I thought that was all going to change, and it did. When you moved our relationship did not diminish; it got stronger. We talk every day about everything. You know what is going on in my life more than my own family. When I have a problem you're the first person I call. Even though you are 500 miles away I turn to you when things go south or north.

I never believed the saying "distance makes the heart grow fonder," but with our relationship it has. When we do get together it is as if we never separated. We cherish the time we have together. While most friends argue about anything and everything. We accept each other's opinions and move on because our time is way too valuable and limited to be bothered with arguments.

Our relationship has educated me on how to be a friend. It has taught me to not sweat the small stuff. It has taught me that compromising is vital. Our relationship has taught me how to be in a romantic relationship and make it work. It has taught me how to work with others whether it is in school or work.

I cherish everything you do for me, especially when you are so far away. I cherish the hour long phone calls and the daily text threads. I cherish the advice you give me whether I want to hear it or not. I cherish you always being honest and telling me how it is. I cherish that I turn to you first before I buy a dress or go on a date. I cherish the emotional times we have together because the low times are what make our highs better. I cherish our arguments our disagreements because they make us stronger. They help us understand other people's opinions and differences. But in the end we are not that different. We have all the same interests, we deal with situations very similar, hell, we even get told we sound the same.

I sit here on the plane back north once again crying because goodbyes are never easy. I never want to leave when I'm with you. It's hard to find someone who knows you better than you know yourself, and if you can find that in a friend then you must be doing something right. At the end of the day we are going to find Mr. Right and get married. On that perfect day we will both be standing next to each other crying because it finally happened, smiling because we look so damn beautiful, and laughing because we never thought that this would happen.

We will then go separate ways and start our real adult lives, but because we have dealt with distance for a good part of our relationship this will be the easiest part. We both know we will be friends forever, and not in the generic friendship bracelets way, the real true friendship way. One day our children will grow up together considering one another family. Maybe one day our children will get married and then we will really become family.

This time I left you, it felt like the end of a chapter in a good book. You accomplished something that not many people can say they accomplished. You walked across that stage with a huge smile and head held high. I knew when you thought I wouldn't be able to make it you were upset and felt betrayed only to find out I would never do that to you in a million years. Seeing you accomplish something that big was amazing. It was amazing because I knew how many times you wanted to throw the towel in and give up, I knew the struggles you had, and to watch you fulfill your degree was something I am honored to experience.

You are one of the strongest friends I have. You have overcome so much in your life that you should be so proud. I leave you with this: When you want to give up, when you want to throw the towel in, don't! Just think and look back at all the low points you managed to get out of. Think of the times you thought you would never be able to move on from. Think about the struggles that you thought would define you. In a sense they do; they define you because they made you the strong woman you are today. Take this new chapter as a blank canvas and write your own happy ending. There will be hard times I promise, but nothing you can't handle. I am so beyond proud of you for everything you have accomplished in life. Thank you for not only being my best friend, but being my soulmate. Carrie Bradshaw once said, "Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and men are just people to have fun with." Continue your life. This is not the end; it is only the beginning. You are the author now, so go and write your amazing novel.