Dear Friend Who Stayed,

I don't know how or why you did it, but you did. Despite my craziness, ugly cry face, and mean side, you stayed right there with me. Through the good days and the bad days, you were right there to laugh, cry, joke, smile, hug, take selfies with, and live life. In staying, you saw all the scars and hideous parts of me. At the same time, you saw the wounds heal and also the best parts. You were there in the high days and the low days. You stayed after I called you at eleven o'clock at night crying my woes to you. You stayed after the crazy "deer chicken" day and still laugh about that with me. You stayed even though many opportunities could have let you run away and not look back.

Thank you for staying. By staying, you showed me what a real friend is. By staying, you became my best friend. My respect level rose for all I made you put up with. Because you stayed by my side, we have inside jokes, code words (remember that "A" phase?), memories that make us laugh till our sides hurt, and even memories that make us repeatedly wonder why we behaved the way we did. You also showed me the greatest picture by staying. You showed me how God stays with us just like that. That love that made you stay is a small picture of God's love for me and how he stays, despite my craziness, ugly cry face, and mean side.

By staying, you, dear friend, have made me better myself. I know what kind of friend I want to be because of what qualities you showed me when you stayed. Thank you for staying, because that changed my life in the best way possible.

Sincerely, the Riley to your Maya and the Maya to your Riley