If you know me, then it comes as no surprise that I have a surprising amount of guy friends. Like, guys make up 90% of my friend group. I spend almost all of my time with my guy friends and I've written about them before. They are the guys that I can count on for midnight runs to Whataburger, and I can always count on them to call me out on any bullshit. They will give me honest opinions, they make me laugh when I'm sad, and they will beat me at pool no matter how hard I try to win.

And I want to say "thank you" to all of my guy friends, because you guys have shown and taught me so many things, including what real men look like.

I'm not going to lie, I've known some real jerks in my life. And I've wanted to date some real jerks in my life. But being friends with all of my guy friends has shown me what a real man is like. My guy friends never put me down (unless we're joking around). My guy friends always support me but also make sure that I don't do stupid things. My guy friends don't ghost me, and they always make sure to text me if they know that I'm having a really hard day. They ask me how my day is going and go on walks with me when I just need to talk. They teach me how to longboard when they know that I need something to take my mind off of everything that's going on. My guy friends always ask me if I'm okay. They always consider what I'm thinking and what I'm feeling, and they want to make sure that I'm doing alright.

My guy friends care about me. They want to know me as a person, and they treat me like a real person too. They are my rocks during the hard times and the good ones. They have shown me that real men do exist and that they care about you. They showed me that fuckboys aren't worth my time and that I am worth so much more than the opinion of a guy. They've helped me find the good qualities in myself instead of telling me all of the bad ones. My guy friends are the best definition of best friends and caring individuals.

So guys, if you're listening, I want to say thank you for everything. I know that you will always be there for me and I can't even express to you how grateful I am. Thank you for showing me the best parts of myself and showing me what real men are. And thank you for just being you. I love y'all.