I have a long list of things to thank you for, but I'll just start by saying that you are one of the best friends I have ever had in my entire life. When you reached out a few months ago (after basically a year of not talking at all), I was reminded of how much I missed having you in my everyday life!!

It seemed like no time had passed at all. Our friendship was back, and each day was suddenly so much better because I had someone to talk to about school, adulting, and college student problems! Plus, I had the opportunity to pray for you, offer encouragement, and watch you grow through so many cool experiences!!

I didn't even realize what I was missing out on until you started texting me again! It just makes me think of freshman year and all the memories we made together! Our friendship was one of the highlights of the year for me.

There was never a dull moment in our friend group because you were always around! Like seriously girl, you are hilarious!!

I remember how we used to complain about food from the cafe all the time and make excuses to go to the mall after class. See also: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/campus-dining-halls-ruined-food-for-me for a quick (but probably unpleasant) drive down memory lane. We used to sit and rant about marching band for hours on end (let's be honest, we had a lot to complain about!!).

Our conversations would get so salty when we talked about band rehearsal and how our RA would host hall functions right outside our dorm room (even though there was a perfectly good lobby just down the hall)!

In all seriousness, the moments we experienced together truly changed my outlook on life. I had never known someone who was as generous and caring as you until that year. For example, do you remember when we carved pumpkins at your house over Halloween weekend?

I was honestly just blown away that you invited me to your house because it meant that I didn't have to be alone for a couple of days. It meant the world to me, and I loved hanging out with your family, too!

And do you remember the 10-mile bike ride we took across scenic Northwest Iowa with your parents? That was literally one of the most enjoyable days I have ever spent in my entire life! The bike trail alone was breathtaking, let alone the gorgeous weather and the fact that God had finally given me a friend as loyal as you on campus.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that you helped me survive one of the craziest years of my life. You would listen to my problems and offer advice 24/7, and no matter what, there was always something to laugh about! You helped me finish out freshman year despite everything inside of me that told me to just give up already, and I will always be grateful for that.

Simply put, I will always treasure our friendship because you helped me realize that life is worth living.

All in all, I really owe you a lot. You truly are an amazing human being, and I wish you the absolute best in life. God is blessing you in so many ways--your relationships, your career and leadership opportunities, and your spiritual growth--and you totally deserve it! I can't wait to see where He takes you next, because I have faith that you will go far in life.

You deserve to be so happy and to live every day to the fullest! My wish for you is that you never shake off the travel bug and you never settle for the road most traveled. Stay you, and the world will be better for it.

--With love,

Courtney.