To my best friend,
It all started in kindergarten, walking through the doors of the Joseph H. Gibbons Elementary School. Five-year-old me did not know it at the time, but she would soon be introduced to one of the most important people that she’d ever meet; one that she would be lucky enough to call her best friend, her ride or die, her partner in crime, her right hand, her go-to person. By the end of that first year together, we were already inseparable, and I knew that this was not just a one-year friendship kind of thing. Hey, I was right! Look at how cute we were in elementary school!!
Let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we? Ah, the glory days of College Academy, where we could be anything we wanted, play the part of anyone we dreamed, and make our fantasies become a reality. Remember when there was a lip-sync contest in which either counselors or campers could perform during lunchtime? Remember when we were thinking about singing ‘Mean’ by Taylor Swift? Now looking back on it, I bet the whole camp would’ve loved to hear us screaming at the top of our lungs into the microphone! There was also that time when we decided to join the radio broadcasting group, creating our own stations and making up the silliest advertisements that we could. Oh!, and you can’t forget about that incredible #1 hit song ‘Nugget in a Biscuit’, which I’m pretty sure we played for hours on end, driving your Nonnie crazy. How about that time we starred big in CA’s music videos with a rendition of Miley Cyrus’ ‘We Can’t Stop’, along with our own personal favorites like the Zebra commercial, ‘Gangnam Style’ and so much more. Remember when we thought we could make it big, auditioning for every role possible in the drama club and at the theater? I think we printed out close to 50 pages of script for 101 Dalmations, only for us to realize that they actually weren’t putting on that musical. Whoops! I think our best play, however, was in 5th grade (just think about it). Actually, nope, I lied; it’s definitely Pinocchio! We crushed those late-night rehearsals and proved that we could make it on Broadway, that we were the next big thing. This letter is a very big throwback, but remember that time we made a music video to the Lion King? I wish I could find that video but I think it’s gone forever (rest in peace). I can’t believe I almost forgot our infamous video to ‘Bottoms Up’… ah, yes, a true masterpiece! What about the YouTube video we made of us lip-syncing to ‘For a Moment’, that, thank the Lord, is on private? Does guest starring on the Lizzy Show ring a bell? Remember our Halloween costumes? You know, the ones that we thought were so clever when in reality they really were not? How about our glory days spent in Girl Scouts? When middle school came around, man, oh man was our friendship tested. It was definitely a bumpy ride (get it?). Yet, we still managed to pull through, and, even with all of the unnecessary drama, remain very close, calling ourselves the Powerpuff Girls and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Wow, that’s extremely embarrassing to write out, but, hey, it happened – so embrace it, right? There were so many nights spent staying up until who knows when, playing racing video games, trying to summon ghosts in your old apartment, listening to the weirdest music, making vlogs during stormy weather, talking about our crushes (Jailbird, YIKES), and so on and so forth. Can’t forget about those times when we’d go to the mall for hours, not even to shop but just to look around and eat at the food court. Remember camping? When a rookie was born? GEMMA? How about racking up the phone bill with calling for hours on end after school just to talk about nonsense? Creating a time capsule and burying it deep in the ground outside your shed with a brick on top so we’d never forget? Playing mermaids in the pool and holding annual wipeout competitions? How about the time you got the colored strips put into your hair or wore those neon hoops from Claire’s; you know, the ones I was so jealous of back then? Sleepovers at camp in NH? Whatta time to be alive! Look, I could go on and on about the countless memories we’ve made and the inside jokes we have, but that would make for a wicked long article (and, not gonna lie, I wanna keep some of those just between us so they stay a secret!).
So, for now, I just wanted to take the time to say thank you. Thank you for standing by every poor decision I’ve made, or helping make that decision so I’m not alone in doing so. Thank you for giving me a glimpse of hope that there are good people in the world by showing me what it means to be loyal and caring. Thank you for showing me that even in the darkest of days, you will find the light. Thank you for accepting me for who I am, without judgment, and for letting me do the same. Thank you for showing me what it means to be strong and resilient in the face of hardship and despair. Thank you for showing me how to be dedicated and strive for all you have hoped for, making sure to accomplish any and every goal established. Thank you for being patient with me; I know I can be a lot to handle. Thank you for choosing to listen and for picking up the phone even when it’s 3 A.M. or you’re studying for a really hard nursing exam. Thank you for helping turn mistakes into fun moments by commenting on small grammar issues in texts and changing the topic to fit what I said by accident. Thank you for opening up to me, for letting me do the same, and for giving me weekly, sometimes daily, reports about what’s been happening in your life. Thank you for understanding that life goes on, and that no matter what happens, it will be okay. Thank you for being a personal role model that I’ve looked up to since day one. Most importantly, thank you for helping me notice that family doesn’t always have to be blood-related and for being the sister I always wished I had.
Maddie, I am so incredibly proud of you and who you’ve become. You are one of the most selfless, kind-hearted, pure souls that I have ever met. Anyone who knows you can surely attest to that. You have no idea how lucky I am to have you in my life and to know that no matter the situation, I can always count on you. In a few years (please make it years) I cannot wait to toast you at your wedding, embarrassing you with some more stories. I cannot wait to one day spoil your baby and be the crazy-but-fun aunt! You are my best friend and nothing can, or will, ever change that!
Ily times a milky ;),
Your fave buttercup
P.S. Sorry for all of these pics, I know they’re super cringe