Dear best friend,

I would fill this with all of my favorite memories of you and me, but I think I’ll save those just for us. Looking back at the day I met you to now, I never thought you’d have such an impact in my life. Can you believe at one point we were strangers? It feels like I’ve known you much longer than I actually have. It feels like we’ve been best friends since childhood, when in reality it’s only been a few years. You’ve given me so much over these few years, and I could never thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me. You deserve some recognition and appreciation.

Thank you for your undying support of me and my passions. You are always encouraging me and making me feel important and significant. I could always come to you with any accomplishments or failures I made. You always cheer for me, and you're always my number one fan. You are so incredibly trustworthy. You've been there for me through my struggles and successes. And you never once made me doubt myself.

Thank you for listening to my endless rants. You were so patient with me when I had something to say. And when I had other close friends, you were still there for me. You never left no matter what attention I gave you, but you have always been an important person in my life. You never said you didn't care when I talked about other people or told you stories of my day that you weren’t in. You stuck with me through hard times. All those times I thought I was being pushed away by best friends I was actually being pushed closer to my true best friend. You forgave me and you listened to me. You respected me. You loved me when I was difficult to love. I am truly grateful for that.

Thank you for always complimenting me. You would let me know when my selfies were bomb or when I was fire. You always made me feel confident. I haven't really struggled with self-image, but I definitely feel prettier when you boost me up.

Thank you for bringing me closer to my true self. Being around you shows me the kind of person I want to be like, and the kind of friend I want to be. You have brought out the best in me and showed me what I can do if I just believe in myself. You’ve seen all of my characteristics and qualities, and you never judged them. You never doubted who I was. You've helped to make me become the person that I am today, and you showed me how to love her. Thank you for growing with me.

Thank you for all of the adventures you’ve taken me on. You’ve shown me so many new experiences. I have never had a bad moment with you. It’s always been exciting and wild. You know how to have a good time, and I thank you for including me.

Thank you for the long nights full of gushers and capri suns. When you’re here those are the two things I have to have on hand. Deep conversations always happened, and so did not so deep momemts. We have so much depth and yet immaturity at the same time. It’s about balance.

I love watching you perform and express yourself. You have such energy and creativity. Your talent is timeless. You can practically do it all; act, sing, and dance (with room for improvement). You’re so willing to learn new things and to discover more information. You make me want to better myself because no one can compete with you and your passions. You push me to be and do more, without making me feel like less. In simpler terms, you’re an inspiration.

Something I love about you is that you understand my humor. I can go from stand-up comedian to memes and you’ll laugh with me. Every time I’m with you I manage to laugh so hard it hurts. I love sharing our inside jokes that no one else would get. And I love hearing your loud, reckless laugh.

I can't get over how smart you are. Maybe not in math or algebra, but in so many other things. You’re clever and witty. You have such golden comedic timing and the things you think of amaze me. I can sit and talk to you for days about anything or nothing at all and I’d never once get tired of it. The amount of wisdom and knowledge you have is endless, and continues to grow. You make things so much more interesting, and I’ll miss the way you light up a room with your sharp brain and dazzling looks, a combination most lack.

You are undeniably the strongest person I've ever met. The things people have put you through are far worse than anything you deserve. You should be loved and appreciated. You should be cherished and included. And most of all, you should be you. You are thoughtful, caring, talented, hilarious, beautiful, and one of a kind.

You are gorgeous, and that was obvious from the moment I met you. Your smile is brighter than the stars, and your eyes (small as they may be) glow like the moon. I think I’ll miss your crazy Rapunzel hair the most out of all your features, I’ve always been jealous of it.

We’ve always known that our spirits have been connected. We knew with the way we can talk so easily and laugh so hard. We knew in all the times we felt like sisters.

I know we’ll be thousands of miles apart and it will be difficult, but I know we can make it work. I’ll always check my phone to see what time it is there, I’ll ask you about your day and show you my outfit. We’ll have long phone calls and skype dates. You won't be forgotten when you leave. I’ll be with you as long as you want me to be, and I’m only a text away. Our memories are unforgettable, and we will make more even when you’re far away. I may miss out on a lot of things but it doesn't mean that I don't want to hear about them.

It’s okay to make new memories with new friends over there. But I always want to hear about who your friends are and what you did with them today. I want to see pictures and hear stories. I want you to be happy and to enjoy yourself. I know they’re going to love you.

I am so proud of you for the courage you’ve displayed in choosing to take your senior year abroad. Especially with the recent dangers of foreign countries, you are very brave. You’re leaving behind this town full of memories. You’re leaving your family and friends behind in search of something else. Something better than this, better than me. And I hope you find it. You are too good to be held back. So go out there, learn new things, discover, experience, challenge yourself. I hope you love every minute of it.

From the very first day I met you, I’ve admired you. You’ve had strength and bravery. I accept who you are now, and I can’t wait to see who you become. You are the blonde best friend to my brunette. You are my person. You are my closest friend, and that won't change, no matter how far apart we are. I love you to France and back a million times! Travel safe.