Dear Ex-Best-friend,

Remember that time when we stayed out until 3 a.m. trying to break into the zoo but totally failed; or what about that time when we told our teachers we had student council duties to get out of class and goof around all day? Let’s definitely not forget about that time when we stuffed a ton of marshmallows into our mouths for the chubby bunny challenge and nearly choked. Girl, thank god for the Heimlich! Those were some amazing moments together, from singing (let’s be frank, we were really yelling) songs at the top of our lungs in car rides, to girls’ night sleepovers filled with gossip, slushies and Netflix.

I felt I could come to you with anything and everything. At some point, you were no longer my friend, but my sister. When things got tough you were the person I wanted to turn to. You were the Meredith to my Christina, SpongeBob to my Patrick, the Peanut butter to my jelly. You were essentially my very best friend and I couldn’t go a day without thanking the stars that you were “My Person.” There have been many times in my life when I couldn’t imagine my life without you, times when I thought you’d be a bridesmaid in my wedding, maybe even my child’s godmother but times change and so do people.

I’m not exactly sure of the moment when we stopped being best friends and we became strangers. It could have been any number of moments when we couldn’t quite let go of a petty argument, the unnecessary caddy backhanded compliments we threw at each other or the disagreements on important topics.

Eventually, we passed each other in the hallways or stores without even a glance; when mutual friends would speak of your name, I’d leave the room. When I'd see a post about you on Facebook I’d hide it from view as if it meant I was deleting you from my life. Over time, I couldn’t bear to be in the same room with you. In a months’ time, you were no longer “My Person” but just a person; a stranger even… but, I don’t want you to think that I hasten in your fallbacks or that I find joy in your failures.

Over the years I’ve let go of the grudges and I’ve grown to accept apologies I may never receive, that life is too short being troubled over trivial matters and to take the hardships as a lesson. Our friendship and its subsequent downfall made it apparent that not every person you meet is supposed to remain in your life and that’s OK. But that doesn’t mean I'm not cheering you on from the sidelines when you succeed or flourish, that I'm not smiling when I see you happy or that I don’t thank the stars for the lessons you’ve taught me over the years.

“My wish for you is that life becomes all that you want it to” — Rascal Flatts