Dear Closest Friends of Mine,

I know that I am not one to constantly call you my best friend, or explain how much you mean to me in my life. The truth is, I’m scared. I’m scared that if I show that you mean a lot to me, then maybe I might lose you and it’ll hurt that much more. I’m scared of jinxing the term “best friend” because I’m worried that if I say that, one day if we aren't best friends I’ll think back to my words and realize that some words don't mean much. I don’t want my words to be meaningless, but in this letter I want to be a little vulnerable.

Let me start by saying thank you for being my friend. I didn’t know that I could connect with others until you came into my life and showed me that there are sides of me that people can understand—or at least try to understand. You’ve let me be weird, whether it’s sending pictures of cats even though I knew you didn’t like them, or trying to click my feet in the air but slipping and failing miserably. You've helped me relax and realize that there’s more to life than work, such as eating half a large pizza or having monthly movie nights to channel my inner Indian. You've helped me connect with my girly side, from helping me pick out a prom dress to talking endlessly about makeup.

I am thankful for you because you have stuck by me not only through the sunshine, but also through some of the bad times. You’ve always given me my privacy, but just knowing that you were always there was reassurance enough to keep me going. Thank you for inspiring me to become better, to work harder, and eventually achieve the goals that I’ve always wanted. Thank you for celebrating my achievements with me and proving that you’ve never given up on me, even though at times I may have.

I am thankful for you, my friends, who have made a home for me where I didn’t think I could find a place. Thank you for the late nights doing homework, and for listening to me ramble about random things as I fall asleep. Thank you for the trips to get frozen yogurt and the hours you've spent listening me to vent about everything from friends to tests. Thank you for the moments where I laugh so hard that my stomach hurts for the next 5 minutes, and for wiping any sadness away. Thank you for giving me space when I’m down, but never forgetting to ask me what’s wrong and extend a hand if I ever wanted to talk. I may not have said this then, but I say thank you now because I am glad that you showed me your presence without imposing it on me.

I hope that by being open here I don't diminish our friendship. In the event that life happens, and our paths go different ways—and I pray that they don't—I just want you to remember that no matter what may have happened, I will always be thankful for the memories you have woven for me. Because, my closest friends, you have contributed loads of happiness into my life that I could never erase even if I tried.

With Lots of Love,

Nandini