I've learned a lot in the past year. I've learned a lot about myself, about the world and the people in it, about life and love and the universe. One of the most important lessons I've learned, though, is that even when you feel it, if you have truly wonderful friends by your side, you're never really ever alone.

Life blesses us with a lot of things; I myself have been given things I may or may not deserve, but one of the things I'll forever be grateful for is my own beautiful little circle of friends.

For that reason, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for getting me through some of my darkest nights. Thank you for reminding me that there was still a life left to be lived. That even though things sucked and it didn't seem like they would ever get better, that there was still a light to be found at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you for standing over me while I was drunk and crying in the driveway and reminding me that he just wasn't worth the tears. Thank you for standing by me through every ignored text message, conversation gone wrong, and failed attempt at a date. You held my hand through some of the worst and made sure that I knew the actions of some stupid boy didn't dull my shine at all.

Thank you for being the definition of nights I won't remember with people I could never forget. Thank you for making me laugh so hard I cried and for dancing with me like nobody was watching. You've reminded me time and time again that there's nothing a night out with your girls can't fix. It never fails to amaze me how you always seem to know when I just need a night of freedom. You keep me smiling when all I want to do is frown and I can never thank you enough for that.

You were there while I was figuring myself out. You held my hand and listened while I faced some of the darkest parts of myself; facets of who I am that I've never owned up to before. You made sure I knew that I was worth more than the darkest parts of myself. You proved to me that I still had a light inside that deserved to shine through.

Thank you for showing me that there was a life after him. You helped me to realize how brave I could be on my own, but you were always there to pick up the pieces when I crashed and burned. You never let me give up on myself. Thank you for helping me realize that I could be the strong woman I'd always dreamed of being. Thank you for being my backbone when I couldn't find my own. We don't exist in a vacuum and your influence helped me get to where I am today.

Thank you for loving me while I was still learning how to love myself. For not giving up on me when I was being a bitch or a pain in the ass and always trusting that I'd come back around after I lost my way. You saw the potential in me when I couldn't see it myself and you made damn sure I never lost sight of who I was and where I was going. It was an impossible uphill battle at times, but together we made it out the other side.

Life can be a big and scary place, but with friends like you by my side, I'm not afraid to face whatever tomorrow brings. For that, I thank you.