" God doesn't give you the people you want, he gives you the people you need. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you the person you were meant to be."
Flashback! Fifteen years ago God introduced me to a beautiful five-year-old. This five-year-old grew up with me. We laughed, we cried, we lost, and we loved, but most of all, we taught each other how to live.
Together, we endured the awkward years of braces and feet a size too big for our bodies. We made our way into high school and found where we belonged before being thrown back out into the world. We headed into college with no real direction and eventually found our way back to each other, a mile away from each other in fact.
I'll spare you the long and sometimes embarrassing details of our 15 years of friendship. But I will tell you the 15 reasons why a girl deserves a best friend like mine.
1. To tell you to take a chance
Growing up, there were several times when I doubted myself. Because of my best friend, I had the confidence to take risks and go for anything and everything that I wanted.
2. To give you a good excuse to act stupid
Life is absolutely no fun if you don't act like a complete idiot once in a while. And, let me tell you, we sure did have a full book of embarrassing memories, but I wouldn't want to imagine our life without them!
3. To lend a helping hand when you need it
No matter what, I can always count on this girl to help me out. Whether it's proof reading a paper, stretching a scorpion, or pulling me out of the mud when my shoes get stuck, she has always been there.
4. To push you to become a better you.
There are so many things that I was sure I could never do until she pushed me to give it a try. Only then did I realize that, with the right support, I could do anything I set my mind to.
5. To capture all of the embarrassing moments for you.
Even though you hate her for it, she always seems to capture you at your least attractive moments (The picture included isn't even close to being as bad as some). But that doesn't mean that you can't return the favor.
6. To share in the things that you love most
Performing was always a love for the both of us. We owned the stage and it would never have been the same without her by my side.
7. To make you laugh until you cry
There are far too many instances of two a.m. conversations leading to the kind of laughter that makes our abs ache. I don't think I have shared that kind of laughter with anyone else.
8. To share your love for beautiful things
Beaches, sunsets, guys who can dance?? The things that we love are one in the same.
9. To feed your chocolate ice cream addiction
The amount of ice cream that we can consume in one sitting is just over the line of ridiculousness. Add in the Double Stuf Oreos and you've got the perfect night for us.
10. To answer the phone. Always
If it's in the middle of the night and you can barely get a word out through the tears or you don't let her get a word in for hours, she will always be there.
11. To share in inside jokes from years past
You can just look at each other and immediately know what the other is thinking, a skill only gained by those brave enough to stick around for as long as this chick has.
12. To give you a little bit of competitive spirit
You aren't the competitive one, but when she's on your team being competitive is what makes it so fun!
13. To always hold your hand
Figuratively or literally, she's always there to pick you up when you fall or to offer the support that you so often need.
14. To love you unconditionally
I don't know how she does it, but no matter what stupid thing I do or say, she's always there with a smiling face to give me a hug and tell me she loves me. I will always love her the same.
15. To be your forever friend
No matter how far apart this world takes us, with her as my best friend I know that we will be able to grow separately without ever growing apart. It's hard to know that someday we won't live down the street from each other, just like it was hard to believe that we would attend different schools.
I know now though, that God brought us together for a reason and that she's supposed to be in my life. She is my forever friend and I will always love her. First grade to forever.
"Everyone has a friend during each stage of life, but only the lucky ones have the same friend in all stages of life."
