Dear Oldest Best Friend,
It occurred to me the other day that we've been friends for almost thirteen years. We've spent half our lives knowing each other, and I barely remember the time before we met. We were six years old in Mrs. L's first grade class. You grew up in Waukee, Iowa, so you knew pretty much everyone in our class. I had just moved there from Minnesota, and the only person I knew at school was my fifth grade brother (who refused to acknowledge my existence). Our first day of school, you asked me to play Frisbee with you. It all began there. I know I've never said it, but thanks for asking me to play Frisbee. Thank you for always including me. Thank you for being the kind of person that wants to make everyone happy. Thank you for being my first friend in Iowa.
Soon we were having "dance competitions" in your living room, or watching Mary Kate and Ashley movies dreaming of being glamorous movie stars. I remember when we were 7, and I was about to make my first communion. I assumed everyone was Catholic...including you! We planned on going dress shopping together, and we spent weeks talking about how beautiful our white dresses would be and if we would want lace or jewels adorning them. We both told our moms about our shopping plans, and that is when your mom called mine...You weren't Catholic, so you weren't making a first communion at all. We were so sad that our mini bridal shopping trip was canceled, but we made up for it by creating our own superhero costumes out of paper. Man, we were cool! Thanks for being as weird and crazy as me. Thank you for being a girl after my own heart.
When I moved back to Minnesota, we were both 10 years old. We cried...a lot. I missed you every day of fifth grade. It's not every day you find a best friend as kind as you. Thankfully, you were able to come to Minnesota to visit, and I was able to visit in Iowa. Somehow despite the distance we remained friends.
Our friendship is so different than most. We live in separate states. We go to different colleges. We lead very different lives, but we never lose each other. I think you are the kindest person I have ever known. You have a heart of gold. And while I think it's hilarious that you are double majoring in Dance and Engineering, it is just so you. You are smart, but you are also a dreamer. You're the person that taught me that you're never too old to have dreams, as long as you never stop working towards them.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for being my oldest best friend. No one knows me better than you, and no one ever could replace you!
