With Thanksgiving around the corner, we are given an opportunity to take a moment in the blinding chaos of our daily lives to see things that make our lives brighter. If you ask me what I’m thankful for, I can return to you a long list of everyday blessings. If you ask me what I’m MOST thankful for, I’ll only say one thing.
I strongly believe that the purpose of life is to live completely immersed in happy moments. Those moments are created by the people that walk into our lives and take those moments beyond what they can be. They are the people that make your laughs a little louder, your dance moves a little stronger, your days a little brighter.
While many people will walk into and out of your life every day, the ones of value are the ones (as cheesy as this is) that leave a footprint on your heart and on your mind. They are the people who find you in your moments of weakness, when you feel alone and pick you back up, without thinking twice. They are the people who know your flaws and work to understand them instead of criticizing or judging them. They teach you new things and open up a new perspective on the world around you. I am extremely fortunate to have had people like that in my life.
Except, I have a tendency, in moments of hardship and stress, to lose myself and push those people away, no matter how much they want to be there to help. It stems from my distrust in others and depending on only myself to get through the challenges of life. In those moments, I focus attention on myself so much that I forget how to be a good friend in return.
In one of those moments, one of the people closest to me told me that they no longer knew who I was. Looking back into my actions, neither did I. I had lost myself, and it wasn’t until I reminisced into my memories that I realized that the purest, most genuine form of myself was in the moments spent with those important people. It was in the long days spent at the lake, tanning, swimming, and boating. It was at every music festival, falling in love with music and culture. It was hanging out at the pool, gossiping about boys and telling crazy stories.
So, to my old friends. Thank you for road trips, the amazing playlists, the pit stops at Target and Walmart. Thank you for taking on the wildest adventures with me and making even the worst ones the most memorable. Thank you for the hours spent making bracelets, doing makeup crowded in the bathroom, and singing and dancing to every single great jam. Thank you for the chicken wing and sushi runs, for braiding my hair, and for being prepared for just about any situation to come our way. Thank you for getting muddy, getting soaked in the rain, and getting in trouble with me. Thank you for the late-night talks, the hugs, the shoulders to cry on. I wish I could’ve been a better friend to you.
