I am so lucky. I am so lucky because I have so many amazing friends that I am so incredibly close to. I don’t like to say, “Yeah I have a best friend”, because I have multiple best friends, however, I don’t think I fully learned what it meant to have a BEST friend until middle school.

I will try to keep this as short as possible. When I entered middle school, one of my good friends transferred schools, and the other one moved away, I also found out I have scoliosis. I received my back brace in the middle of the year. It wasn’t the easiest of times. I didn’t really know what “friend group” I belonged to because my two closest friends were no longer at school with me. I started to hangout with a girl in my grade and a group of her friends. Needless to say, this caused problems with some people that I would occasionally hangout with (typical middle school girl drama). I felt hapless. This group of people just all of a sudden turned on me and I didn’t know why. To make things worse, they told lies about me to my friend that had moved away and she believed them all. It wasn’t fun. I felt completely alone, except for the fact that I had the kindest person on the planet by my side. Every night, I would go home and see new things these people would say about me online and then I would immediately call her. She would listen to me go on and on about the same things, or just sit there with me and let me cry it out. She got me through a lot. I always thought, “Why is she being so nice to me? Why is she letting me talk to her? Everyone else is being mean, why isn’t she?” I didn’t even think I was worthy of her friendship, but she simply saw someone in need of a friend and showed them kindness. If only everyone did that. Luckily this didn’t go on for the entire year, but I do not know what I would have done with this girl.

It’s moments like this that prove that God never gives you more than you can handle. At the time, I was so confused as to why this was happening and I had no idea what was going on. But looking back at the situation, I am so incredibly thankful that it happened. I think about what my life would have looked like without going through that and I cannot imagine it. What would have happened if she just shook it off and assumed I could handle it by myself? What if the situation never happened? What if everyone was nice to me all the time? Well then I wouldn’t have one of the greatest people in my life. Without that experience, I may never have found my best friend. Because of her, I truly learned what it takes to be a best friend. You have to be there for them no matter what. No matter how many times they repeat themselves, no matter how many time they just sit and cry to you, no matter how many times you have to stick up for them. She saw me at my worst and that is how we formed our friendship. I’m pretty confident that we can make it through almost anything. She’s one of those friends that you can go without talking to for months, but when you see them, it’s like nothing has changed. She is absolutely incredible and means the world to me. She makes me laugh constantly, and is always open to listening to anything I have to say. I am so blessed. It’s because of her that I have all the close friends I have today because she taught me how to form such strong relationships with people. God is always looking out for you. And my friendship with her is living proof of that. And if you still don’t believe me, then look a little closer, please.