They say that you will cross paths with many people in your lifetime. Some will teach you difficult lessons that you will need to learn, some will betray you and leave you to pick up the pieces of yourself and some will show you the wonders and beauty that life holds. I have been blessed to acquire a great deal of friends that come from all different walks of life. I’ve had some friends come and go, and I’ve had others by my side for as long as I can remember. My friendship circle has been intimate and I’ve got enough love in my heart to include everyone. But, my life changed forever in third grade when a new student moved and started at my school. She was short, she didn’t talk much and she had a weird scar on her face. I thought to myself, “Probably not gonna be friends with her.” If I only knew then how wrong I really was. That day commenced the beginning of my journey to finding my best friend.
My best friend and I hit it off from the start. Or not. She actually befriended another group of girls when she originally came to school and they treated her like a doormat. One of the things I love about my best friend is her ability to see the best in people, even when they treat her poorly. It’s one of the personality traits we share. But I saw the way she was treated, and I decided to go up to her and strike up a conversation. We hit it off, and needless to say, a friendship was born.
My best friend and I have seen each other at our complete worst, and we’ve seen each other at our absolute best. We’ve had countless sleepovers, parties, celebrations, milestones, activities, fights, girl talks, secrets, everything. I’ve helped her when she struggled to write her English papers. She’s painted my nails more times than a professional salon. I was her rock when she was coping with the loss of her dad. She picked me up when I cried about my insecurities. Through the people who have tried to separate us, their attempts proved unsuccessful.
You name it, we’ve experienced it. We’re stronger now than ever because of it. There are times when we will talk all day every day, and there are other times when we will go without communication for days or weeks at a time. But whenever one of us needs something, we can pick up the phone and act like no time has passed at all. That’s the beauty of friendship. You get to be your true, authentic self and nothing less. You don’t have to hide or pretend. Your friends will accept you for who you are, and your best friend will play a significant role in defining who you are and molding you into the person you are becoming. My best friend and I have a friendship of over 10 years, and I think it’s safe to say that our friendship will last forever. It’s one for the books and one for our hearts.
Some people will have multiple friends in their lifetime, but you only get one best friend. I’m so glad that I found mine.