May 12 is less than a week away, and I am not ready for it. This past year has been a whirlwind for the both of us to say the least.

I like to look back on our very first friend date. I needed a ride home from work, and we were both hungry. We sat in Chipotle for over an hour just eating and talking.

Our next one took us to the bowling alley. After playing in the arcade we took our winnings to the prize room. There was a little pencil sharpener that was perfect for eyeliner. I dug and dug around in that box for another so we each could have one. When it became apparent that my efforts were futile, you just told me to keep the one I found and to not worry about it.

I knew then what kind of person you were. I also knew then that we were meant to be great friends.

You do everything you do to make other people happy, even when doing so may cause you to miss out. There have been so many times when you have put yourself on hold just to make sure your friends were okay.

I don’t know how you do it, but you always come up with the perfect things to say to make other people feel better. You care, a lot, and I think that is something incredible.

I will never trade our late night doggie dates and long conversations about life for anything. Things are just so much better with you around.

We may not talk every single day, but when we do it’s so easy to lose track of time just enjoying each other’s presence. You make people forget they even have a cell phone when they’re with you.

Some days I wish we had met sooner, but I truly believe that we became friends at just the right time. We both needed someone to be there, and we were that person for each other.

You are one of the kindest and most caring people I have ever met. You’ve been through a loooot, but never let that affect your loyalty to your friends and family.

I really don’t think you give yourself enough credit for everything you have worked your butt off to accomplish. You are graduating in a little less than two weeks. THAT’S HUGE!

I know sometimes it freaks you out because the future is scary, but you got this. I know that there are big things coming for you. I know that you can do whatever it is that you want to. You are an amazing person, and amazing people deserve amazing things.

I am beyond proud of you and am grateful every day that your parents made and raised such a wonderful human being.

I wish you the absolute best in this life. I’m just not ready to let you go.