My Girlfriend’s Friends,
To commence, I’d like to say thank you to all of you. While I surely don’t know everyone reading this as well as I’d like to, I know without a doubt that you have all extended kindness and friendship to me as if you knew me before I started dating your friend. For that, I’m grateful beyond my lexicon.
I’d also like to recognize that I know I was not here first. I know I have not been with her through many of things you all have. You have watched her go through relationships that came before me, and have been the support for her long before my name was anything but another stranger’s. I cannot replace you, and fortunately, I have no desire to. If she is friends with you, then that’s good enough for me. I trust you for the sound judgement I know she has, as well as the warmth that I have been fortunate enough to receive from you all at the very beginning of my relationship with her.
I know, I know. The men who came before me sounded just as sincere. Their smile was just as bright, their arm extended and appearing to want to coexist and help all the same. With them came pain, and lessons, and a lot of advice being exchanged. But that's not me. In lieu of such, I want you to know that I won’t iterate any of this and ask you to blindly believe me. I can tell you that I am not them, and it is certainly true. But I know that these words would serve more effectively through action, and proof of that comes with time spent with her, and my behavior. I am prepared to show you that I want the best for your friend, my girlfriend.
I’m glad she has all of you. There are certain dilemmas and questions to which I have no answer, or I may be disqualified from testifying upon for one reason or another. There is no pragmatism to be found in me being her only friend and support system, I know that’s neither healthy nor constructive. I couldn’t replace you, even if I wanted to. I respect and value the bond that you have built with one another; I don't want to interfere with it. In an indirect way, I’d like to consider myself your friend too. I don’t quite know if I mean that in the present or future tense, but it stands true either way. If she likes you, that’s all I need. I want us to talk to help do things for her. I want to work together to brighten her day. I want the best for the girl that has managed to mutually change our lives for the better.
Know that you can always come to me for help (even though I know I can’t pull off the feats she does).
Sincerely,
A Caring Boyfriend