Dear middle school best friend,
Thank you for seeing through my glasses and unsightly wardrobe. Thank you for listening to me fawn over the cute boy in our Algebra 1 class and for laughing at the endless inside jokes that we shared. Thank you for lunch periods filled with gossip about all the new girl drama. Thank you for countless sleepovers, makeovers, late night giggles, and so much more.
In retrospect, life in middle school was a walk in the park. When we were living that life it was the greatest challenge in the world. Middle school best friend, thank you for supporting me through the times when I thought my life was rough. Thank you for French-braiding my hair because I didn’t know how and ever so secretly passing me a tampon whenever I needed one. Thank you for making me mad when you cancelled on me and thank you for being mad at me when I cancelled on you. Thank you for holding me accountable when I said something stupid or when I told you I would keep a secret and I didn’t. Thank you for listening to me cry about how my mom was ruining my life by not letting me hang out with you.
Thank you for being vulnerable enough to express your emotions to me. That meant a lot. Thank you for getting in stupid girl arguments with me and hugging it out the next morning. Thank you for decorating my locker on my birthday. Thank you for shaping me when I needed shaping the most. We all know that being 13 was not easy.
Thank you for showing me what it felt like to be upset when our friendship ended. Hanging out four times a week turned into ignoring one another in public. There was no fight. There was no wrong-doing (at least not to my knowledge). It just happened.
Even though we had a falling out, I am still so thankful for you every day. We parted ways for high school and became different people. Even though we had mutual friends, life was busy and we changed. That is more than okay.
Thank you for teaching me how it feels to be proud of someone even when you are no longer close with them. I still see your pictures on Instagram and feel so filled with joy by your happiness. I kept up with your journey through high school, and now into college, and I am so proud of you. I haven’t told you that in a long time. I didn't know how.
The flood of girls that I’ve met since being at school has reminded me of my thankfulness for you. You loved me when I had frizzy hair and braces. That is true love.
Through the thick and thin of our stressful pre-teen days you were there. I am always wishing the best for you.
