Most of you will know exactly who those people are. The friends who have come to be so much more than friends. The ones who have become honorary family.
However, I’ve found there’s two types of these friends. There’s the friends who your family has adopted. These are the ones who call your parents “mom” and “dad”, raid your fridge like they own it, and who always get invited to family functions and no one bats an eye. We all have a friend like this.
I’m talking about the other friends who mean family. The large group that has bonded over the years. The group that holds Thanksgiving dinners because we’re a family, and everyone deserves a holiday without the typical family drama. The group that readily accepts you for everything you are, and supports you in your endeavors. The group that isn’t afraid to tell you when you’re making dumb decisions because you deserve complete honesty.
Here’s to you.
To the people who have expanded upon my world in ways I never thought imaginable, I love you all. I’ve watched our group react as individuals suffer losses, and the group comes together to help. I’ve seen heartache and stress and financial struggle be helped without question. Individuals asking for help learning something end up with an entire group offering advice, tools, skills, or lessons.
People celebrating engagements find that everyone is there to send well wishes. Those welcoming new children into the world find a host of honorary aunts and uncles who want to spoil the baby. These are the friends who know that while you can make friends with a few, the family is a group package. To find a friend who will continually stand by your side is one thing, but an entire group who loves you is another.
As any family, there are times we’re not perfect. There’s miscommunication and drama, and occasionally disagreements and falling outs. I’ve watched the group change a bit over time as people come and go, but the core values remain intact—we are there to be a family.
My favorite memories are the gatherings we have just hanging out and talking. Playing games, cooking dinner, mundane activities that mean nothing. The Thanksgiving dinners where the people who hide their identities around their biological families can feel welcomed and safe because our family will be there for them.
For all the good times we’ve shared and the bad times we’ve helped each other through, I thank you. For the deep talks as we sort out life problems, for the support as we figure out our lives, for the slap in the face we need on occasion, I thank this family. For the laughter and the hugs and the cuddles, for the game nights, for the memes we share, even more thanks.
For giving me friendships that will stand the test of time and always continue to brighten my day, I love you.
