I’ve never been the girl to just have one best friend. Sure, I’ve been close to multiple people in my life, each becoming closer to me in different stages. I’ve probably had friends I could call my best friends at particular periods growing up, but there has never been that one, solid best friend who has been with me from the beginning until now.

On the contrary, I have always been the girl to strive for many friends or a large friend group. And by the grace of God, I have found so many girls that I can rely on to this day. These girls deserve recognition and thanksgiving for all of the qualities they have added to my life. To my friends, this one is for you:

Loyalty

Thank you, friends, for constantly sticking by my side. Thank you for doing so even on my angry days. Thank you for defending me when you hear negative things about me, or for walking away when those words were spoken. Thank you for never giving up on me or purposefully betraying me. Thank you for the nights you stayed up with me or didn’t leave somewhere until you knew I was safe and had a ride home. Thank you for simply being there.

Faith

Thank you for being my role models and for being so open about your relationships with Jesus. Thank you for keeping me rooted in what is most important. Thank you for giving me advice on how to grow in my own relationship or for inviting me to church with you. I am so grateful for the bible studies, the long talks, or the random text messages that are centered on Him. Thank you for making it so easy to discuss my own faith. Ultimately, thank you for allowing me to understand what it means to surround myself with “good people.”

Comfort

Thank you for contacting me when you knew I wasn’t “fine.” Thank you for being a listener, over and over again. Thank you for your willingness to repeat that story or helpful piece of advice to me just to reassure me. Thank you for not shutting me up and for not ignoring me. I am blessed with the continuous hugs and words of reassurance from you. Thank you for finding things to cheer me up or make me happy when I hit the lowest of lows. Thank you for being my rock, especially during the times I needed you the most.

Laughs

Thank you for keeping me young with your corny or perverted jokes. Thank you for our GroupMe, which is honestly the light of my life. Thank you for giving me a stomachache with tears in my eyes. Thank you for the stupid actions, the hilarious memories, and the embarrassing pictures I will probably show to my kids. Thank you for being the friends who can undoubtedly and unfailingly bring a smile to my face.

Forgiveness

Thank you for forgiving my awkward moments or horrible dance moves. Thank you for seeing past the mood swings in which I have snapped at you or become angry and impatient with you. Thank you for the times I didn’t turn out to be the person you thought I was, but you chose to let it go. Thank you for being an easy person for me to forgive.

Acceptance

Thank you accepting me elatedly when others turned me away or left me behind. Thank you for continuously waiting for me with open arms and a shoulder to cry on. Thank you for being there when no one else was, and I felt the most alone. Thank you for being the crowd in which I felt as if I finally belonged. Thank you for loving me as I am.

Love

All of the above show me just how capable you are of loving unconditionally. Thank you for being the love I needed in my life. Thank you for being kind, selfless, and generous. Thank you for giving me love, even when I didn’t offer it in return. Thank you for loving me in my flaws and imperfections. Thank you for showing me what love really means.

I love you all.