I have known some of my best friends since Kindergarten and I’ve known a couple even longer than that. We know all of each other’s embarrassing childhood and middle school stories, mostly because we were present for all of them, and are as comfortable with each other’s families as if they are our own. These are the people I could go months without talking to, and, when I finally did, pick up as if we’ve never been apart.
In kindergarten. we were all different people. Back then, we weren’t stressed about school or our futures, we didn’t worry about which boys liked us, and we didn’t worry about what we looked like. Since then, we’ve grown up and our personalities have changed. We have interests other than coloring and playing on the playground.
While once our personalities and interests matched well, the friend group is much more diverse now. Not in a bad way, but in a way that makes me feel proud to call them my friends. However, sometimes I wonder if we would be friends if we met today. While I’m pretty confident the answer would be yes, there is no way of knowing.
Even if we wouldn’t have been friends if we met today, I don’t care because we’re friends now and that’s all that matters. The different types of people found in your original friend group are the ones who keep it interesting, who teach you about new things.
So, saying that, I want to just thank my friends from the original friend group for sticking with me for the past 15+ years. I want to thank them for teasing me about old embarrassing crushes and thank them for letting me use embarrassing pictures for their birthdays and throw back Thursdays.
Even though we’re miles apart and sometimes go months without talking, I constantly stalk their Snapchats, Instagrams, Facebooks, and Twitter accounts. It has gotten to the point where one of us is telling a story and someone goes, “oh I saw those pictures on your Facebook!” One day, we’ll be 60 and I’ll still like their selfies on Instagram.
The friendships you form as a child are important and irreplaceable. No matter how infrequently we chat or I see them, the original friend group will always hold a special place in my memories.
I can’t wait to see you guys soon!
