There are so many things in my life that I am thankful for, but my best friend is probably one of the most important. She and I weren't always friends, but I'm so lucky that we are now. Maddie and I went to the same school for almost twelve years of our life. [She decided to transfer to another school for a semester freshman year.] Looking past that, we really have only been close friends for three or four years, but that doesn't change the legitimacy of our friendship. She is always that one friend I can count on when I want to have fun, or when I need to plan a trip, or literally anything. Maddie is that friend.

Maddie is always the one that wants to plan the big events with our friend group. She truly has this neverending flow of love for her friends and it is clear through everything she does. This past summer, she invited ten of our closest friends to her summer house in Northern Michigan. She made sure that every day was one full of sun-soaked activities and a new, exciting adventure. We climbed dunes, went shopping, had some of the best coffee of my life, and experienced what it's like to live in a small lake town. Not only would the trip not be possible without her, but it wouldn't have been the same.

My best friend spends every single day of her life working towards her goals. While we may not go to the same university, we talk to each other enough that it's like we're together. There's so much good that so many people could say about her, and I promise you wouldn't be able to find one bad thing.

The thing about Maddie that makes her such a good person and makes our friendship so substantial is that she is a person. She doesn't hide her emotions or pretends that everything is okay a hundred percent of the time. Because it's not. You can't just put aside your emotions and mask yourself to act like nothing's wrong because life isn't always pretty and perfect. And that's one of the greatest things about Maddie. She reminds the people she loves that you can always get through whatever life throws at you, and I think that makes any relationship with Maddie is meaningful to everyone. Especially me.

There's nothing I couldn't say to Maddie and as my best friend, every day, I think about how thankful I am to have her in my life. It's truly those friends with the best intentions and the most fun that you have the best, and most meaningful, relationships with.