Thanksgiving is a time made for reflecting on the things that we should, but often forget to, show our gratitude for. This is a letter I sent to a dear friend of mine on Thanksgiving morning. Without this person, I would not be who I am and I do not thank them enough for that. This was my thank you.

People say that I’m dramatic. They say that I exaggerate too often. I think they're wrong. My “dramatizations” or “exaggerations” are not ploys to try and make my story more appealing, but rather a loophole to the finite number of words the dictionary offers me. I manipulate my sentences to create an image that would otherwise be misinterpreted. For example, “thankful." To say that I am “thankful” for you is like saying that “water tastes good after a run”... Not as specific as you mean it to be. Water after a run is: crucial, refreshing, exquisite, quite possibly the most satisfying thing of all time... And you are: the funniest, kindest, smartest, most entertaining person I know, and quite possibly one of the greatest things to ever happen to me.

Before you, small things weren’t funny. I never found enjoyment in the slightest fade of a sentence or eye roll. Your humor and laugh are infectious, and I have caught the disease. You have opened my eyes to new ideas, and things I never knew I could love. (Also I’m pretty sure you're part of the reason I’m liberal…) I don't want to just say thanks, I want you to know how much I owe you for the times you picked me up when I felt like gum-on-the-ground. You're good at making people both confident and humble, and that’s incredibly noble. You're right about nearly everything, and as much as it frustrates me, it makes me feel secure when I’m with you. You keep an open mind and let me show you songs and shows that no one else wants to hear about. You take the time to take interest in what I like and that is so incredibly nice. You care enough about the people you love to delve into their interests, and that’s not something that can be said for everyone.

You have helped me progress as a person and become more aware culturally, politically, and socially. You invited me blindly, with open arms into your friend group last year, and that deserves more than a thank you.

You are vital to my life. You are the light on some pretty dark days. You are the second child my mom never had. You are the one person in my house more often than I am. You're the reason I never feel alone. You're my best friend and that deserves more than the word “thankful."

-cob