To my lifelong best friend,

Look at how far we have come. What a ride it has been!

I remember hearing your name and wondering, "Hmm...cool name." You probably thought the same. Probably even laughed a little at the mere thought crossing your mind. That was all it took, hearing each other's names before finally having the guts to even talk to you.

I was shy at first. 'How do I go about this? Do I just say 'hi, how are you? Is that even how you start a conversation?' I wasn't even ten yet. I was 8 years old. In the second grade, same class as you were. When the teacher called your name, I looked over at you and connected a name to a face. I don't even remember what happened after that. All I know is that somehow, we met face-to-face and a friendship began.

No one could have pictured us as friends. We were polar opposites! I was the shy, quiet girl, who did everything to make her teachers happy, despite feeling insecure. You were loud, talkative, and took risks that even I watched in amazement at. The good-girl and the tomboy, who knew, right?

We fought over those differences. I remember when I became friends with this girl you absolutely disliked. You became territorial, even though I knew you were just looking out for me. I remember when you picked me up while lining up to go inside at recess. You and I were sent to the fence, both embarrassed by our actions. I got so mad at you that I drew a picture with mean sayings about you on it and stormed out of the classroom. You came outside in tears and I apologized. It may not seem like a big deal now, but then, it felt like the worst thing I could've done. I never did that again.

The fun times shadowed these times of disagreement, as we began to find common ground. Remember when we dressed up? Remember the pyramid at my party that ended up being an epic fail? The races on the monkey bars? Having sleepovers where you and I just laughed and laughed? Walking home by ourselves for the first time?

Then, we moved, and we were devastated. Admit it...we missed each other. Then the years went by, each year bringing the thought, "When are we going to see each other again?" Countless phone calls (one's where we were all over the place topic-wise and my mom calling up the stairs for me to lower my voice), countless letters (with your artwork and sharing old memories) and text messages (when you would text in all caps or even type a bunch of jumbled letters). All of this contact what was keeping our friendship going, but we wished for the day we would meet again.

That day couldn't have come any sooner.

I came downstairs after work a few months ago and there you were! I hugged you and never wanted to let go. Those two days, we laughed, we almost cried, and best of all, it was with you. We went from being little kids to young adult women, who have jobs and go to college. That was eight years a part! And here we are now, celebrating twelve years of friendship. Twelve, can't you imagine that? That's you and me. You are more than a friend to me. You are family.

I am so proud of the person you are and the person you are becoming! I am so blessed and honored, beyond the words I can say. Never forget that no matter how far a part we are, we are together in heart. Thank you for all that you are to me. I hope that we get to see each other again soon!

Sincerely,

Your lifelong best friend