You have been there through everything. Every heartbreak, every tear, every pee-your-pants-from-laughing-too-hard moment, you've been by my side. You stuck through it all with me, and I am eternally grateful to have gotten to experience life with you.

I know I didn't always make it easy to stick around. I know I pushed you away every opportunity I got, and the truth is, I thought a friendship like yours was too good to be true. I had never had someone who understood every emotion I felt. I had never had someone who laughed at all the same dumb stuff I did. I had never had someone as good as you in my life, and I don't know how I got you, but thank god I did. Thank god I have someone to love me through my hardships, my insecurities, and my drama.

For everything you've done for me, and everything I know you will continue to do for me, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for telling me when I am being unrealistic, or when I am being overdramatic. You have shown me a new way of looking at life, an improved way of recognizing what really matters, and what is just causing extra tension in my life.

The way that I have reacted to struggles in the past has been childish, and with that realization and your support, I have learned new ways to approach arguments, including actually attempting to see things from my "opponents" perspective. That was not always something that came easily to me, and you have shown me the power of being the bigger person.

Thank you for loving me when I wasn't always loveable. Throughout high school, I made it hard to talk to me, because everything was always about me me me. While I recognize that is not how it should have been, and that you should have left this friendship then, I am so grateful that you didn't. Instead, you loved me through the self-harm. You loved me through the negative mentality I was dead stuck on. You loved me through the hard times, so that we can now experience the good ones.

I know things haven't always been easy, but you kept us strong. You were strong enough for the both of us, even when you didn't have to be. You were my 3 am FaceTime call because I was having an anxiety attack. You were my blind makeover buddy. You were the person I first tasted alcohol with. You were my anchor and my best friend and my sister all in one. You were my go to -- and you still are.

All I ever wanted is for you to be happy. All I ever wanted was to see your face light up and to see you glow and smile from ear to ear. All I ever wanted was a friend like you.

And thank god I have you.

From our first text in ninth grade where we talked about llamas, to our most recent text talking about how much we love our cats, please know that I will love you and cherish you forever.

Mia Messinger

2018 -- Mia Messinger