Do you ever get overwhelmed because you love your friends so much? I believe that everybody gets that all-surpassing feeling of simultaneous pride and gratitude, but sometimes we don't express ourselves fully. Why?
A) It's kind of impossible; words are insufficient. I wish you could just... transfuse your super-high regard of someone from yourself to them, but you can't. (Yet. Science, get on that.)
B) It's often embarrassing to show your heart. It's not exactly "chill" to express love all the time; you can seem clingy, or your joy can appear childish.
However, I think I must make an attempt at expressing this boundless friendship love. I keep noticing things that break my heart in a good way, and so I'll just list them here in the hopes that you can relate to them. If you've got good friends, I think you'll know how I feel.
Snapchats
This one might sound silly. "Oh, you Millennials are always on your phones." True. But here's one good reason why: I might receive a glimpse into a friend's life at any moment. One of my college friends, currently spending the summer far away from me, used this app to chat with me yesterday after she completed a long first day at work. I didn't plan on talking to her that day, but Snapchat blends the convenience of texting with the more involved nature of sharing photos, so I was happily surprised and enriched to interact with her that way. It didn't take a long time and it was no big deal, but I am not ashamed to say that it changed my life, bringing me incrementally closer to her.
Adventures
You may ask: "What counts as an adventure?" Anything counts... as long as it makes you appreciate the spontaneity of friendship. Recently one of my friends texted me about a pop-up concert happening in the city, immediately picked me up, and enjoyed the event with me. We hadn't seen each other in months, but we later agreed that it was even better than catching up at a coffee shop. We caught up in line, and then built on our relationship with a spirit of adventure.
Inside jokes
Sometimes inside jokes get a bad rap because they annoy and exclude people. But the creative exclusivity of an inside joke proves a friendship's uniqueness. I am proud of the fact that I can approach one of my friends, say "Mossy ground," and make her laugh. Our shared memories are so powerful that they need no context. When we get a new inside joke, my life is forever changed.
Reunions
Last year, there was an unspoken tension among my group of high school friends. Even though we wanted to stay friends during college, we didn't know what we were doing. We planned on staying friends, but at the same time we didn't know how. A year later, I can say that it wasn't difficult. Even if I lost touch with somebody, we would reunite and behave as though nothing had changed. I've changed, and my friends have, but our friendship didn't break, and I can't explain that kind of magic. Reunions affirm long-lasting bonds.
Gibberish
My friend and I went to the beach the other day, just the two of us, and we spoke our own language. The water was ridiculously cold, and shrieking an undocumented noise felt appropriate. Something funny would happen while we were people-watching, and choking down laughs with a made-up word felt appropriate, too. Language is only as good as the communication it serves, and when you're super-close to somebody, communicating gets really easy. Language doesn't have to be distinct anymore; it can be fun instead. When I try to comprehend how it's possible that my friend knows what I mean even when I'm not making any sense, my mind explodes. Boom.
Playlists
My brother and sister made each other playlists yesterday. Well, you know me; I just had to get myself involved. I made them playlists, too, and they're making some for me. It was cool to see my brother listening to the songs that my sister arranged for him, and to hear her idea of his taste in music. Playlists represent relationships very well and touch people deeply. A good playlist can certainly change a life!
If you can relate to any of these overwhelmingly amazing friendship phenomena, please do your best to express gratitude to your friends! Sure, they know that you love them. But friendship is more vibrant and lively than a steadfast knowledge. Go spread the love.