One of my favorite quotes goes a little bit like this:

"But in the end, after all the fun, there are a few who stay to help you clean up the mess. And most of the time, they aren't even the ones who made the mess. These people are your real friends. They're the ones who matter most."

Life is messy. I think that's something all of us can agree on. And when life gets messy, one of the worst feelings in the pit of your stomach is when you feel like there's no one to help you clean up the mess.

That being said, I have been blessed beyond belief to say I know without a doubt that my selfless and loving friends will always be there to clean up that mess.

When I study for hours upon hours for a test and still don't do well, I'm thankful for friends who remind me that one test won't determine my future. They are constantly reminding me that if that's the worst thing that happened to me that day, I've got a pretty great life.

When I get shut down from a job I was really hoping to get, my friends will remind me that God has a plan for my future more beautiful than I can ever imagine.

When I feel like I have a million tasks to get done in an hour and I'm in way over my head (which seems to happen more than I'd like it to, dang procrastination), my friends will take a few of those tasks off of my chest just enough so I feel like I can breathe.

Let's take five minutes today to tell the mess-cleaner-upper friends how much you appreciate their friendship. Without them, who would eat ice cream with you after a breakup? Who would pick you up, dust you off, and remind you who you are?

With all of this, take a second to look internally at the type of friend you want to be. Can your friends call you at 3 a.m. when they need a ride home? Are you the friend who will drop anything to be with them when they need you most?

"We don't need a certain number of friends; we need a number of friends of which we can be certain."

This article is, essentially, a "thank you" to my friends who I know, until the day I die, will be there to help me clean up any mess. I am grateful for all of you, and I realize that your friendship is once in a lifetime. I'll always be your number one fan.