I am from a very small town. A town with two stop lights and less than 2,000 people. I have had the same friends all my life because nobody new ever moved to my town. On January 1, 2016, I moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Today I reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I haven’t moved back home since leaving, and I’m not sure if I ever will. Luckily, through my nomad journey, I have had some of the most amazing friends that don’t let the miles come between us.

I’ve gone through a lot since moving. Obstacles that I never knew I would face and I honestly wasn’t sure I could get through them. Despite the distance, I knew that by reaching out to these friends, I would get through anything. They gave me honest advice and prayed for me. They kept their promise about always being there for me.

I’m now 24 hours away from home rather than six. In Tennessee, I was able to drive home some weekends to see everyone and visit. Now that I’m much further, it is a lot less likely I can come home. Maybe for Christmas but that is about it. With that known, I still talk to these friends regularly and still feel our relationships just as strong, if not stronger than when I was home.

When you’re surrounded by the same friends all your life, you think they will always be there for you. It wasn’t until I moved that I really saw who my real friends are. You, however, are still back home surrounded by all our friend groups and you’ve got plenty of people to make memories with, yet you still remember me. It means the world that I made that much impact in your life.

I love you more than you will ever know. I am so proud of you, and despite our miles between us, I will always only be a phone call away. I cannot wait to come home or you come here and we just add to the many many many memories that I cherish so much. Thank you for being you.