Growing up we can all think of at least one neighbor, or just someone in the neighborhood who was your absolute best friend, and chances are even to this day you guys are still pretty close. You remember waking up every summer morning, or on the weekends and the first thing you wanted to do was jump out of bed and run, walk, ride your bike, scooter or whatever straight to their house. These are the kids you will remember forever and some of your best memories, and a lot of your childhood pictures are with them.

As a child my neighborhood was pretty close knit, you knew almost everyone and even if you didn’t they still waved to you as you walked or drove by. Friendships were formed even before kindergarten because we all lived so close, and these bonds only grew as we all aged.

Nearly every day growing up was spent with the neighbors playing games outside, riding bikes or on the swing-set. Even the cold winter days were spent building forts, sledding, and having snowball fights, then all going into one friends house for hot cocoa. You never had to worry about getting a ride to their house, or getting picked up when it got to be too late, because your bike was already waiting in the driveway to take you home.

The best part about having friends from the neighborhood was when your parents all became friends too. Summer cookouts, random get togethers, pool parties, birthday parties etc.. were all a blast because all of your best friends were guaranteed to be there if their parents were invited. And a special thank you to the few friends who had pools, you really saved the rest of us on those hot summer days.

Having a neighborhood crew like you guys made everything so much easier. The first day of school can be scary, but I never had to worry about who I would sit next to on the bus, or walking into school alone. And there was never a worry about being bored on a nice day because you guys were always just a doorbell away.

Sunrise to sunset was spent with these kids, you went to the same summer camps, played on the same sports teams, and eventually walked across the same stage at high school graduation.

These are the kids you know will always have your back. You did everything imaginable together growing up. And lets be real if your friendship can withstand the awkward, ugly middle school days, it can withstand basically anything. You spent countless days nights at their house, and their family eventually became yours.

Although we all have to grow up at some point (or at least pretend to), and we make new friends along the way, it is pretty safe to say that the kids in my neighborhood that I grew up with, are still the same “kids” I am lucky to have in my life now. While we all might not be as close as we once were, you know you can still always turn to them for good advise or a great time, because what else are friends for?

So shoutout to all the kids from my neighborhood, I will never forget you, and thank you for the memories. I wouldn't have wanted to grow up with anyone else.