I’m thankful for the number of years the two of you have let me be your friend, but I’m far more thankful for the value your friendship adds to my life.
You each support me with words and acts of affirmation so well and so often, which has allowed me to be the truest version of myself with you. I trust that you love the raw version of me, so I let my filters down. With you I feel safe to ask unsettling questions, expose my inner monologue, speak my mind, share my most intense opinions, give the longest possible answers and explanations and let my silliness out of the cage I otherwise keep it locked up in.
I can’t count the number or list the topics of all the discussions I’ve enjoyed with you. We can really talk about anything and nothing for hours and hours. These are some of the most precious memories I can think of.
Remember that time that we unfortunately decided to ride in a 15 passenger van with 12 other full-size humans for days on end? I could count that as one of the most miserable experiences of my life (#firstworldproblems), but you were there. A memory shared with you cannot be unpleasant. Hikes to waterfall after waterfall, visits to national park after national park, dinners with people I don’t particularly enjoy spending time with, movies I haven’t cared to see and the hellish smell of sulfur springs are all counted as happy and treasured memories because of your company.
Much of the time I worry that I am being put up with, that my friends are too nice of people to leave me by the wayside so they charitably endure my friendship. The time you spend with me tells my heart a different story. You show me that my pontifications are interesting and valuable. You teach me how I should assume others are intimidated by me, and you let me believe my greatness is straight up fact. You allow me to process my thoughts as I say them and help me by interjecting your own. You help me grow and learn and love better.
There is a peace about you, friends. The peace you cultivate in your own souls by limiting your dependence on material things, seeking truth and being honest, maintaining your physical, spiritual and emotional health and ultimately seeking God overflows to those around you. You share about the choices you’ve made and found successful not in a braggy way but in a way that encourages others to think about what similar choices they can make for themselves toward heath. You admit to your less successful or pleasant choices and experiences honestly in a way that encourages the same authenticity and humility in others. You hold others to a standard of love, truth and excellence without being judgmental. You lead by example and walk alongside. You speak truth harshly when necessary, but always in love. I am grateful for the wave of calm and content you have spread over my soul.
Remember that time a bunch of people we loved were at Chick fil-A, and more people we hadn’t expected kept walking in, and we said it felt like heaven because of all the love and conversation and delicious food? When I think of the time I’ve gotten to be around you, especially the treasured time we’ve spent together the last couple of weeks, I think of heaven. It has felt like time without clocks, without schedules, without limits. Time when I wasn’t worried about anything, when I could speak my every thought without repercussion. Time I spent effortlessly with people I love, without spending any emotional energy. Thank you for allowing me so much time with you in your limited time left here. I wouldn’t have traded the foggy early mornings going to work after late nights with you for anything.
I could go on and on (even MORE than I currently am, can you believe it?!) about how much you two mean to me. Thank you for being a part of my life and letting me be a part of yours. Thank you for opening up to me and sharing your opinions with me. Thank you for spending time with me and always making me feel worthy of your time. Thank you for teaching me things and for letting me teach you. Thank you for supporting me and encouraging me. Thank you for saying you don’t get tired of me, even when I’m too goofy for Goofy himself. Thank you for laughing at my jokes and indulging my silly side.
I can’t really thank you for having the personalities and preferences that make you such compatible friends to me, but I’m thankful for that too.
Thank you for being authentic and transparent. Thank you for listening when I’m long-winded without letting a glazed-over look come over your eyes. Thank you for gossiping with me. Thank you for being among the elite few who read my blog posts. Thank you for continuing to pursue a friendship with me through good times and bad, near and far. Thank you for letting me stand up with you on your wedding day. Thank you for including me in your lives and being such a valuable addition to mine. Thank you, friends, for letting me stand between you.
You each support me with words and acts of affirmation so well and so often, which has allowed me to be the truest version of myself with you. I trust that you love the raw version of me, so I let my filters down. With you I feel safe to ask unsettling questions, expose my inner monologue, speak my mind, share my most intense opinions, give the longest possible answers and explanations and let my silliness out of the cage I otherwise keep it locked up in.
I can’t count the number or list the topics of all the discussions I’ve enjoyed with you. We can really talk about anything and nothing for hours and hours. These are some of the most precious memories I can think of.
Remember that time that we unfortunately decided to ride in a 15 passenger van with 12 other full-size humans for days on end? I could count that as one of the most miserable experiences of my life (#firstworldproblems), but you were there. A memory shared with you cannot be unpleasant. Hikes to waterfall after waterfall, visits to national park after national park, dinners with people I don’t particularly enjoy spending time with, movies I haven’t cared to see and the hellish smell of sulfur springs are all counted as happy and treasured memories because of your company.
Much of the time I worry that I am being put up with, that my friends are too nice of people to leave me by the wayside so they charitably endure my friendship. The time you spend with me tells my heart a different story. You show me that my pontifications are interesting and valuable. You teach me how I should assume others are intimidated by me, and you let me believe my greatness is straight up fact. You allow me to process my thoughts as I say them and help me by interjecting your own. You help me grow and learn and love better.
There is a peace about you, friends. The peace you cultivate in your own souls by limiting your dependence on material things, seeking truth and being honest, maintaining your physical, spiritual and emotional health and ultimately seeking God overflows to those around you. You share about the choices you’ve made and found successful not in a braggy way but in a way that encourages others to think about what similar choices they can make for themselves toward heath. You admit to your less successful or pleasant choices and experiences honestly in a way that encourages the same authenticity and humility in others. You hold others to a standard of love, truth and excellence without being judgmental. You lead by example and walk alongside. You speak truth harshly when necessary, but always in love. I am grateful for the wave of calm and content you have spread over my soul.
Remember that time a bunch of people we loved were at Chick fil-A, and more people we hadn’t expected kept walking in, and we said it felt like heaven because of all the love and conversation and delicious food? When I think of the time I’ve gotten to be around you, especially the treasured time we’ve spent together the last couple of weeks, I think of heaven. It has felt like time without clocks, without schedules, without limits. Time when I wasn’t worried about anything, when I could speak my every thought without repercussion. Time I spent effortlessly with people I love, without spending any emotional energy. Thank you for allowing me so much time with you in your limited time left here. I wouldn’t have traded the foggy early mornings going to work after late nights with you for anything.
I could go on and on (even MORE than I currently am, can you believe it?!) about how much you two mean to me. Thank you for being a part of my life and letting me be a part of yours. Thank you for opening up to me and sharing your opinions with me. Thank you for spending time with me and always making me feel worthy of your time. Thank you for teaching me things and for letting me teach you. Thank you for supporting me and encouraging me. Thank you for saying you don’t get tired of me, even when I’m too goofy for Goofy himself. Thank you for laughing at my jokes and indulging my silly side.
I can’t really thank you for having the personalities and preferences that make you such compatible friends to me, but I’m thankful for that too.
Thank you for being authentic and transparent. Thank you for listening when I’m long-winded without letting a glazed-over look come over your eyes. Thank you for gossiping with me. Thank you for being among the elite few who read my blog posts. Thank you for continuing to pursue a friendship with me through good times and bad, near and far. Thank you for letting me stand up with you on your wedding day. Thank you for including me in your lives and being such a valuable addition to mine. Thank you, friends, for letting me stand between you.
