Dear Best Friend,

Communication is the most important part of a relationship, and I often forget that when it comes to friendship. I am so grateful to have you in my life. Four hundred and ninety-five miles away, and some things never change. I just want to thank you for all of the unspoken qualities I love about you.

When you became my college roommate, I had no idea the impact you would make on my life. I really did not have high hopes for moving in with a stranger. I just wanted someone who wouldn't break my dishes or cut holes in my underwear, but instead, I ended up with a best friend. I think God had a plan.

Thank you for listening to me.

No matter how large or small the issue, you always listen to my rambling with such genuine concern. I do not know if I ever told you how much I appreciate that.

You give the best advice when it comes to making a life-changing decision, but I also appreciate how seriously you take my concern for the small things. Choosing which Instagram filter to use, what kind of table salt to buy and which shoes to wear are all serious issues in my life.

Thank you for being honest.

I may be stubborn and hate to admit it, but I am also grateful for every time you told me he was a loser (even when I disagreed with you). He was a loser. I just did not realize it yet.

And thank you for lying to me when necessary.

Like about my cooking.

You have eaten a lot of my bad cooking; thank you for always telling me how “good” it is, even after I gave you food poisoning (you dealt with a lot of failures). But practice makes perfect; thank you for letting me practice. My future husband will probably be grateful.

Thank you for comforting me.

You are always there to catch me when I fall, cheer me up from a bad day and pick me up when I realize how big of a (capital L) Loser he is. Whether it be brownies or vodka, boys or bad hair days, I can always count on you to come to the rescue. You are the best.

Thank you for being my +1.

So many events attended, trails hiked, road trips made and places visited. There is always an adventure no matter what day of the week or how insignificant the journey. Whether it be a trip to Sonic for ice cream or a weekend in Austin, thank you for always making life fun.

Thank you for being the mom I never had.

Although you are cooler than a mom (I dub you the cool stepmom), you have filled her shoes in so many ways. Confidant, protector, advisor, nurse, wingman, stylist, cheerleader, therapist, enabler, companion and voice of reason are all a few roles you play in my life.

On a lighter note, you are fantastic at being the holder of all things. I hope the weight of bearing responsibility for all of my personal belongings at the bar isn’t too much because you do a great job. It has been quite a while since I have lost my phone, ID, credit card or jacket. Thanks, Mom! #MomDuties

Lastly, and most important of all…

Thank you for loving me well.

You always remind me of how loved I am and how much you believe in me. Your unrelenting faith in who I am and what I deserve is a quality I so greatly appreciate. Without your support and reminders of what I am capable of, I may have strayed from the path God had for my life. But here I am, in part to your support, doing things I could never have imagined doing. My dreams are never too big for your encouragement, and there is no idea crazy enough to render you speechless. Your words may be soft spoken, but they carry so much impact and wisdom.

Thank you for all that you do.

Xoxo

Love you 'til forever ends.

Kelsay