There are many different kinds of “best friends.” Some you go out with, some you stay in with, some you live close to, and some, unfortunately, do not live close.

I have been blessed with the privilege of going to a sleep away camp for the past 6 years. I have met people from all over the United States. This camp has given me the best friends I have today, but a lot of them live in the Massachusetts / New Hampshire area, so this makes seeing them kind of hard. But with some of those hard parts, there are some good ones too…

1. Meeting up is a BIG deal.

Because you barely get to see them, the time that you do end up being able to see them is priceless. Talking on Facebook and texting and video chatting them, just isn’t exactly the same as getting a big squeezey hug after not seeing each other for months at a time.

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2. You always have an outside opinion.

Whenever you have too much going on at home, they are a breath of fresh air. They give unbiased opinions of people and situations and they remind you of what matters the most. They know you better than anyone else because you put your complete trust in them.

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3. Facebook and Skype becomes a necessity.

Seeing updates of their personal lives and their families is almost as exciting as your own family. You have become emotionally attached to every person in their family and never want to see them hurt, so you check in. You love when their moms post pictures or funny stories of the days going by, and you count down the minutes until you can chat.

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4. They’re an excuse to plan a fun, busy trip.

Have a long weekend off from school and work? Go take a road trip! See all your friends and catch up, do everything you want to do with them. Sometimes you just want to sit and put on a face mask and talk for hours. It can be jam packed or totally free, as long as you’re with your best friends.

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5. You know they will always be a part of your life.

You have already planned your dream wedding and they are most definitely in it and vice versa. You cannot wait to see what your life turns out to be in 10, 20, 30 years and see them being in it. You look forward to seeing their accomplishments and wish they were closer to see yours but know they wish they could be there.

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6. It teaches you to appreciate them more.

I used to think that the saying, “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” wasn’t true, until I met my friends. I know how it feels to be so far away from people that I love, and that has taught me to take advantage of the time spent together. Be appreciative of the moments you share and get to talk.

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I am so grateful to have people in my life like my long-distance best friends. They have taught me so much about how to love and be loved and who truly matters. It’s not about the amount of time you spend together, it’s about the quality of the time spent