Hello Dearest Friend,

It is I, the sweet little hermit whom the world didn't see much of before you came along. I wanted to take the time to thank you for seeing me and pulling me out of my cozy room and out into the brilliant world of socializing, friendships, and adventure!

Before you, a wild night would have looked like me staying up past my ten o’clock bedtime for an assignment. Or reading a non-academic book instead of studying. My schedule was consistent and lacking in social flare, I was predictable and didn’t do crazy things.

But then you came along.

There have been so many nights where my inner-introvert was very much awake, and very much in charge. I would hole up in my cozy bed and hunker down to watch some Grey’s. Then you would come along with some delightful adventure planned up, and not take my sorry “no..” for an answer. If you hadn’t made such an effort to get me off my bum and out of bed, the chances are really good that I’d still be there.

If socialization was a pool, I had historically been splashing around in the shallow end. But when we became friends, you showed me how fun and exciting the deep end can be. Yes, it takes extra effort, and it can be scary when your feet don’t touch the bottom. But after one little jaunt into the deep end, the shallow water just seems so, well, shallow! You showed how fulfilling the deep waters of friendship can be.

You showed me how to loosen up and let loose! It’s okay to yell and laugh in public. It’s okay to run around in a grocery store. It’s okay to goof around in public with friends. And it’s fun. There’s a time for everything, and you showed me how to take time to have fun.

But most importantly, you just listen. Before you, I had always carried my burdens on my own – all of my thoughts, feelings, and pain. You showed me that friends share each other’s burdens, and I’m so grateful for that.

So basically, friend, I just wanted to say thank you for coaxing me out of my shell and introducing me to this truly wonderful world. I love you, dear!