Dear Best Friend,

I have always believed that people are strategically placed into the lives of others. From the very beginning of our friendship, I knew that you were one of those people. You have given me so much throughout this friendship and I will forever be grateful.

Let's go back to freshmen year. We had just started high school. Everything was new and exciting, but for me, it was mostly scary. I had come from a small school with a graduating class of 27. When I got to high school, I didn't expect anything to change. I assumed that all of my grade school friends would be there forever. I mean, who needed new friends anyway? Two weeks into it, I had a total of 2 friends left and even then I never got to see them. I felt like I had no one.

I felt like I had nothing to lose so I said to myself, "Hey, that chick who sits next to me in Advanced Choir seems cool. I'll talk to her and maybe get a new friend." That dream was shut down quickly. I leaned over during a song and said, "Do you even know what we're singing? I'm so lost." I swear you looked at me like I was ghost. Eventually, you started to talk to me. We would walk to class together, sit at lunch together, and you even had me come over everyday after school. Even if I felt like the dumbest person that day, I'm glad I spoke up.

It's like everything fell into place. All of a sudden I had a best friend. It's not like I hadn't had one before, but this felt different. We had only been friends for about two weeks when I first came over to stay the night. Automatically I felt like a member of the family. I joked with your parents, and we acted stupidly together. As mundane as it sounds, it felt like a dream come true.

This friendship blossomed and its roots grew deeper than anyone could have imagined. Over the years, I have received not only material things from you, (thanks for hooking me up with that fast food 24/7) but also so many valuable life lessons.

One lesson that I've gotten out of this friendships is this: if you can't laugh at yourself, then you're doing it wrong. Before I met you, I was scared to death to do anything remotely stupid in public. I would be the calmest person you would ever meet. Of course, I laughed and I had fun, but I never willingly publicly humiliated myself. Now, you can't even take me places because you know how stupid I'll act. I have learned that it's okay to laugh until you can't breathe and you can't see from all the tears. God knows how many times we have sat with your family in a restaurant and all you could hear is two girls sounding like chew toys with the sound going out. I know that I look so stupid and immature, but what does any of that really matter if you're doing it with your BFF?

Secondly, I have learned the value of having a non-biological family. Obviously biological family is the most important thing in anyone's life, there's no denying that. However, I thank sweet baby, Jesus, that I have a family like yours to act like my own. They have taken me so many places, introduced me to new things (i.e. toaster strudel and delivery pizza... so much shame), and all in all, have loved me like their own. I mean, your mom drove us 5 hours away to go to a concert and 3 hours to go to a musical. That's real love. They have bought my meals, shuttled me home, given me a nickname, and have even hung out with me while you were at work. I have always been welcomed with open arms by not only your parents but by your sisters, cousins, nieces and nephew, and extended family too. I have never seen so much love and acceptance be given by another family that wasn't my own.

Finally, I have learned how to love myself. I learned how because of this one reason: you loved me when I was hard to love. You have always told me how it is. If I was being too emotional or clingy, you would let me know. You being blunt helped me to work on myself. Through that, I have changed into a person I am proud to be. You listened to me whine, you experienced my panic attacks, you hung out with me even when you were simultaneously annoyed by me just because you knew it's what I needed. When I thought everything was going down the toilet, you were there. The things you didn't say were sometimes the things that I heard loudest.

This journey has had so many ups and downs, and the downs make you appreciate the ups so much more. This letter is my way of saying thank you. I am thankful for every hardship that we have had, and I am thankful for all the memories, from every ugly laugh to every ugly cry. You are one of the biggest blessings in my life, and there's no one on this Earth that could change you being my best friend.

In the words of Dr. Christina Yang, "She’s my person. If I murdered someone, she’s the person I’d call to help me drag the corpse across the living room floor. She’s my person.” Thank you for being my person. Love you long time.