Any friendship starts with some common similarities two people share with each other. The connection two people share with each other is a special one, no doubt. Whether it’d be a favorite sports team that bonds two people together, or similar political opinions that reignite every 2-4 years, there is not a limit to what can bond two people.

The bonds of two people can also be strained by differences. Strong friendships can see through loads of little differences. However, based on what we saw on November 9th, 2016, a.k.a unfollow half of Twitter and unfriend all of Facebook day, differences can break friendships and even relationships within families to the point of no repair. The 2016 election left, in its wake, damage nobody wants to see. It proved to be a test of the strength of bonds friends can hold. For a lot of friends, their friendship ultimately failed that test.

The biggest reason for their friendship failing is that they never saw what made them into true friends to begin with. That thing I am talking about is the personality of that friend.

Despite widespread opinion differences across the board, my friendship with somebody has withstood the test of time.

Emily Ruelle, EIC and, more importantly, close friend of mine, hold a wide variety of different opinions. If she’s favoring Tomi Lahren, I am most favoring Chelsea Handler. If she’s favoring Dana Perino, I’m favoring Brooke Baldwin. If she’s favoring Tucker Carlson, I’m likely favoring Keith Olbermann.

Our friendship started during an Odyssey meeting in the Fall Semester of 2016. Ironically during a time where relationships between others of differing ideologies were icy to nearly non-existent. When I met her, I had no idea who she was or what she stood for. But, none of that mattered to me. What I saw was a beautiful, kind-hearted, strong soul that would do anything for anybody who would later go on to be a kick-ass Editor-In-Chief of this space.

She saw the same in me, despite our differences.

Whenever I come across something she shares on social media that is the opposite of what I believe, I might cringe and my heart might drop, but it never crosses my mind to unfriend her, or never even talk to her again. Our friendship will never cease to exist, despite our differences. I don’t see an ideology. I see that same beautiful, smart, strong, and kind-hearted soul I saw in that same meeting a year and a half ago.

And all of you who don’t share the same views should do the same with yours. Look at their heart, their personalities. Not their Parties.

I love you, Emily. I’ll always be here, regardless of our views.