Dear Best Friend,
I cannot thank you enough for simply being the person you are. You have transformed my college experience. You have shown me what it feels like to be loved unconditionally. You have given me a way to love myself in ways that I didn’t think were possible.
I’m not going to lie, when you came into my life it felt similar to a lot of other connections that were being formed at the same time. It was our freshman year in college and everyone was just trying to find their place. We met through a mutual friend, but I could have never predicted that you would turn into the best friend I’ve ever had.
We naturally fell into a friend group that, on the surface, got along so well. We all partied together, lived in the dorm together, and went to dinner together every single night; the group was seemingly flawless. Until it wasn’t. Until there was one crack that rippled into so many more that eventually the entire dynamic was shattered into pieces.
We were left questioning our entire situation, but you always made me feel grounded. At any minor disagreement, we discussed the issue. At any given time, you were willing to listen to me and I was more than happy to do the same for you. These testing times showed me your true colors, and they were beautiful.
Aside from the friend group falling out, you have proven to be a friend that cares to hear the struggles that I cannot voice to anyone else. I have always tended to internalize my personal difficulties, but I feel free to let down my guard around you. I know that I can tell you anything and not be judged, and that is the most liberating feeling ever. I also love that you have learned that the same is true from me. When others have made me question my worth, you have empowered me with words of affirmation that have made me feel so worthy. Being vulnerable is something that society shies away from, but it is something that is so important to me.
Although most of what I have already said has been “soft,” I also need to thank you for listening to the stories that are so crazy I couldn’t make them up, and the jokes that are so inappropriate that most people would have to cover their mouths. I love talking about all of the “characters” we see around campus and making up stories that we take way too far. I can always count on you to be on the same page with our humorous jokes and to make me laugh so hard that I’m literally wheezing like a tea kettle.
From meeting for the first time, navigating friend group difficulties, being vulnerable, to laughing on the floor, I cannot thank you enough for brightening my days. I look forward to every moment we get to spend together. You have shown me such a high standard for a true friend and you make me feel like I can be the most authentic version of myself. I am forever grateful to have you in my life. Please never change.
Sincerely,
Ashley :)
P.S. This could totally be mistaken for a romantic love letter, but we already joke that we’re a couple, so what’s the difference?
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