Dear High School Best Friend,

When we left for college, we swore we would keep up with each other all the time. We said we would text every day, and talk on the phone, and Skype—there was no amount of distance that could change our friendship.

We were wrong.

Between the tests and the clubs and the new friends we met at our respective colleges, the text messages grew further and further apart. Our lives went on, and we found ourselves on different paths with different people.

It felt odd at first to experience things without you by my side, but over time, things settled into a routine. I became accustomed to discovering life with new friends with new inside jokes and new personalities. I stopped counting down the days to breaks where I would only see you for a few brief hours before being swept away by other friends and family.

So yes, we were wrong about our friendship. Some combination of life and distance did change us—but not in the way we thought.

We have both done a lot of growing over the years, and one of the biggest lessons I have learned is to embrace change. Go with the flow. It is what it is. Our friendship is not what it used to be, nor will it ever be, because we are now more than a couple of high school kids hanging around and waiting for our futures. We are living our futures right this very second.

When we’re together, I experience an odd sensation of nostalgia and hope for the future, because I remember where we came from, and I can see us growing up together, albeit separately. It’s far more sweet than bitter, though, because it is so nice to see my best friend do all of the things you said you wanted to do when you finally had your freedom. I am so proud of everything you have done for yourself, and I cannot wait to see everything you accomplish because I know it will be amazing. Besides, when we do get those few hours together on breaks from school, we always pick back up where we left off with plenty of misadventures and laughter to share.

I do not say it nearly enough, but I love you so much, best friend—not only for who you are but for who I am when I am with you. I owe so much of who I am to you and would never be where I am today without your loyalty, faith, love, and wisdom.

Sure, we were just two kids in high school, neither of us really knowing what was going on any more than the other, but talking to you in my driveway, or in my room, or at the park under the stars always helped things seem a little more manageable. You pushed me to be my best when I was sure I was at my worst, and you saw so much in me that I never saw in myself. You helped me study and consoled me about significant others that are no more than a distant memory now. There is no amount of time or distance that could make me less grateful for that.

One day, our lives may lead us to separate sides of the country or even the world. The future is unpredictable, but our friendship is not. If you are ever feeling homesick or need a familiar voice to talk with about unfamiliar problems, look me up, because I will always be happy to lend an ear and a friendly word. In the words of the late, great television classic "Friends": “I’ll be there for you when the rain starts to pour. I’ll be there for you, like I’ve been there before. I’ll be there for you, because you’re there for me, too.” Cheesy? Maybe, but also accurate. Handling emotions is always easier through the eye of 90’s sitcoms.

So here’s to you, best friend. New friends may come and they may go, but no one can ever take the place that you have in my heart.

XOXO.