The past two years of my life have felt like a constant changing game. People left, opportunities left, new ones came. I left high school behind and started the next chapter of my life in a completely different state, a thousand miles away from everything I knew. It's easy when life changes for the people in your life to change too.

This is a very humbling feeling, realizing that not all friends are forever. At times I felt myself experiencing new levels of loneliness as people who I knew as friends decided they wanted to leave things with the memories and go our own ways.

You haven't always been close in location, but you've been close in heart.

You chose to lay your opinions aside and support my happiness first. When everything I once knew seemed to be slipping through my fingers like sand you were always just a phone call away. This was the comfort that kept me from breaking at my lowest moments.

You have taught me what a real friend looks like. It's not being in constant communication or doing every single thing together, but rather being constant. It's holding onto the good memories like treasures AND dreaming about the future. Real friendship is being vulnerable about your struggles and reaching out a hand of support even when you feel like you're not strong enough to handle it.

You have found the perfect balance of letting me make my own mistakes but still protecting my heart. You encourage me when I'm at my lowest, but warn me of the things that are holding me back from reaching higher. You make me want to be a better friend to everyone around me because of the example you set for your life. I have found a brand new appreciation for loyalty because I got to experience it first hand through you.

Even the times where we may not have talked for weeks, we bounce right back and it is the best feeling in the world. It is such a warm feeling knowing that amidst every change there is something that will always remain good.

In the next season of your life, things are going to constantly be changing. Each week might feel like a new month, each month like a new year. I hope that through every good day and bad day I can pass the gift onto you, that I truly am only a phone call away. I will always be here to reminisce the old times with you, and I will forever be dreaming about your future. You know how girls will always say "You're going to be in my wedding!" or "You're going to be my kid's aunt!" in an effort to keep a friendship alive forever?

I know I've said those things before to many girls, and all of those friendships have faded away. I truly believe that a real friendship like this happens how all good things on this earth happen, naturally. This was never something we had to force, from the moment we became friends it was like the connection was always there.

I know now this kind of friendship is rare, and through every season of change, I become more thankful for what I have in you. In my deepest heart, I know that we will forever be standing by each other on the best and worst days.

So thank you for being the friend who stayed close throughout it all, and for teaching me how to do the same. See you at the wedding?