For The People I Love

With my 22nd birthday soon approaching, I am beginning to reflect on the past year and the people who made it great. While birthdays are normally centered around the person who was born that day, I want to take this opportunity to talk about everyone but myself. I am going to spend this birthday talking about the people I love, as this will be the last birthday I may spend with many of them.

She is my encouragement, my voice of reason when I need it the most. She is a trip to Andy's as a form of therapy. She is the logical thinking when I'm allowing my emotions to take the wheel for a hot minute. She is half the reason my head is on straight, and her honesty is something I deeply value.

He is my twin, exactly like me but better in every way. He is Mario Kart Double Dash and Mr. Bradley's Store. He is wisdom far beyond his age, and he is the best friend I don't deserve. He is taking his little world by storm, and I am not in the least bit surprised.

They are my biggest fans, even when I don't deserve it. Yes, they can be hard headed, but then again, I guess that's where I get it from. They read my face like the open pages of a book, even when I try to hide my thoughts. While they're not great together, I treasure them separately, and that has made all the difference.

She is my person, through and through. Honestly, looking back, I wouldn't have made it through college without her. She is a mango magic from Tropical Smoothie when I haven't eaten in days. She is singing along to the Law & Order SVU theme song, and my music will be missing something when her voice is not there to harmonize with mine.

He is not what he is, but what he represents. He is the quiet my mind was searching for in a day of chaos. He is the calm in a crazy storm, and he is random knowledge about topics learned from YouTube videos. I may be unsure about a lot of things, but I may never stop believing in him. He has held me together so many times and not even known it, and for that I am grateful.

She is my Yellowstone friend, through it all. She is last minute plans and spontaneous trips to McDonald's at 11:00 at night. She is the one person who reminds me of adventure, and that I am capable of so much more than I often realize. She is gold, and my life has been richer for knowing her.

He is one of my dearest friends, always looking for ways to lift me up. He has gotten me through some of my toughest times, and mostly not even known it. But he's got the keychain to prove that he's one of my favorite humans. And a single bear hug from him can pull together my pieces faster than nearly anything else.

My special day may be all about me, but I wouldn't be who I am without these people, and more. So please allow me to redirect the spotlight to you all, my people. Happy birthday to me, but thank you to all of you.