To Those Who Are Still Here,

Throughout our lives, we all have faced good times and bad. We have experienced the troubles of middle school, the excitement of high school, first relationships, proms, going off to college, and everything that comes with going away to school. We have experienced heartbreak, loss, arguments, and long distance. Yet you are still here. For that, I am more thankful than you will ever know.

Whether we have known each other for three months, six years, eight years, or our whole lives, I know that you are a forever friend. I know that even when some boy breaks my heart, you are here to tell me that I will make it through it. When I make terrible life decisions, you are here to tell me to get myself together. When I lose someone extremely close to me, you are here to wipe away my tears (which I refuse to acknowledge are even flowing).

I will never be able to express how truly grateful I am for you. Know that even when we drift apart, we will find our way back to one another because of how strong our bond is. Understand that you are irreplaceable, no matter how many times I joke about hating you.

Thank you for not leaving when everyone else did. Thank you for dealing with my crazy moods and for knowing how to handle me when I am hangry. Thank you for accepting that I will always order fruit salad for breakfast, even though I refuse to eat the “green fruit” (and then eating the green fruit so that I don’t feel bad). Thank you for not yelling at me when I do something completely irresponsible. Thank you for not forcing me to become someone else so that we’d fit in. Thank you for loving me, truly and completely.

Thank you for still being here.

I love you,

The Friend You Never Left