When we think about it, how lucky are we to have people we can text the moment we wake up in the morning to share and laugh about that crazy dream we had last night (even though no one really likes listening to other people’s dreams)?

Or when it’s 2 a.m. and we can’t sleep, how fortunate are we to grab our phones and message a friend who we know is still awake just to talk to about our hopes and dreams until we fall asleep?

And when it all just gets to be too much, and we don’t know where to turn or what to do, how blessed are we to have people to cry to and divulge pieces of ourselves we hide from the rest of the world because they are too painful or too heartbreaking to admit?

This is a best friend. Not just in title, but in sentiment. More often than not, we get so comfortable in our everyday routines with our closest friends that we forget how important a role they play in our lives. Where would we be without them?

Friendship is more than sharing clothes and gossiping. It’s the promise that you will always have someone who loves you and who genuinely cares about how you feel. You don’t have to see that person 24/7 or be attached at the hip to know that. Having a best friend means that while you are out in the world making other friends and learning to be yourself, you have the confidence that the second you call him or her, nothing has changed.

We only become close with people when we open ourselves to them and become vulnerable. We lay our trust, our secrets and our fears in their hands, with the hope that they will protect them. How beautiful a thing it is to know that you have the power to impact people’s lives, for better or even for worse, yet they have faith that you won’t break them; rather you will make them stronger.

The best part about having people whom you feel comfortable enough to tell the most personal aspects of your life to is that they know you, everything about you, and choose to love you regardless. What better feeling is there then to have people accept you entirely, flaws and all?

There are lots of friends who will enter our lives, leave their mark, and then continue on their own paths. Best friends, however, are the ones who stick with you no matter where you end up going or what you end up doing. Even if you live hours apart, they understand your daily struggles and act as an outlet for all of your stress, and for that, we should feel very grateful.

So go give your best friends a hug or text them how much they mean to you, because in a world where we sometimes struggle to get through the day, they are the ones who help us see the promise in tomorrow.