Dear Best Friends,

I used to believe that the more friends I had, the happier I would be. More people would accept me. I would be better liked among my peers. I would be popular. I would have it all. Until one day it hit me that I was lying to myself. Multitudes of friends wouldn't bring me happiness. I was wasting my time putting on fake personas, hoping that the ideal me would bring me everything I ever wanted.

The truth is that I am lucky to count my true friends, my ride or dies, in one hand only. The number is less than 5. There are about five people in this world, besides my family, that I can count on to be by my side in times of crisis and I am incredibly fortunate to have them with me after all this time. Some I have known longer than others, but each holds a special place in my heart. Each one of them has made up a chunk of my life and helped mold me into the person I am today. They push me to be better, to do better, and to find the best version of myself.

My best friends will walk with me down the aisle on my wedding day, they will become godparents to my children, and they will be a part of my life for as long as we are alive. However, the most important reason I am so lucky to count my true friends on one hand is that they will not only be my rocks in times of happiness, but also in times of sorrow. Just in case no one has realized by now, life brings a lot of unfairness and sorrow around the block more than once or twice. I know with all my heart and soul that people I am counting on my fingers will stand by me always, be it good or bad.

They will be there to donate a kidney, to hold my hand if my parents are in the hospital, to help me get back on my feet financially if need be, and to raise my children if something were to ever happen to me and my husband. Most people don't think too far ahead into these things when they're young. I was blessed and cursed with the need to think about the future, plan ahead, and obsess over planning what is coming. The hard part about that is we can never know what is coming, it's a big surprise waiting to appear at the worst possible moment. Thankfully, I know my persons will be there waiting to walk with me on my path when I can no longer walk alone.

I thank my best friends for every 1 a.m. phone call and every midnight birthday text message. I thank them for the out of state trips we made at a moment's notice just to see each other for a minute because that was all we needed. I thank them for the gift boxes and handwritten notes arriving at my dorm or my apartment in times of need. I thank them for the constant support and advice always and forever. I thank them for the baking fiascos we have made in the kitchen at 7 a.m. and the never ending Grey's Anatomy marathons, even though I've made them watch the episode about 10 times already. I thank them for the warm hugs and the insane fits of laughter. I thank them for supporting me through it all with open arms and no questions asked, ever.

There are about 7 million people in the world. I was blessed enough to have some incredibly amazing best friends that have stayed through it all. In the good and the evil, the difficult and the exciting, the tragedy and the triumph, sometimes all you need is one soul to walk alongside you.

Love,

Suzy