Hey,
You were my best friend for years. I could always count on you to make me laugh and embark on spontaneous adventures with. I could always count on you for a shoulder to lean on when needed, someone to tell my secrets to, and someone to share my dreams and aspirations with. You were only ever a phone call away. We made it through the awkward years of braces, terrible hair-do's, terrible taste in fashion, and terrible taste in boys. We spent nearly every weekend and summer together and made memories to last a lifetime. We had our ups and downs, but I was always thankful and proud to call you my best friend.
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Even as we got older and started drifting apart, I never doubted our friendship. I thought you would be in my wedding. I thought we would grow old together and our kids would grow up together. I thought we would be friends forever.
I'm sure neither of us expected a guy to be a factor in the end our friendship. I'm sure neither of us expected to go from being inseparable to being strangers, but life has a strange way of working out sometimes.
Even when you stopped texting me and asking me to hang out, I didn't think anything of it. Even when you would cancel our plans because you were hanging out with your boyfriend, I didn't think anything of it. Even when I stopped being the person you shared your secrets with, I didn't think anything of it. It's her first serious relationship with a great guy, I thought; it's no big deal.
I never thought it would be the end of our friendship.
It's been years since we've hung out and it's been years since we've had a real conversation. We keep saying we're going to get lunch and catch up, but I think we both know that is never going to happen. I see him in every picture and I see his name in every Facebook status and tweet. He has become the center of your life and it's disappointing that you not only threw our friendship away, but nearly every other friendship you had. Maybe I don't understand because I have never been in a serious relationship, and maybe you will disagree with me, but I believe that friendships are more important than any guy and any relationship. I believe that prioritizing your relationship and friendships are crucial in living a balanced, whole, satisfying, happy life. Guys come and go. Relationships last and they end; friends are forever.
Looking through old pictures of us used to bother me. It brought back so many fond memories of the weekends and summers we used to spend together, the times we laughed and cried, and the times I couldn't ever imagine having another best friend. It bothered me because it reminded me of the fact that we are not friends anymore and that I have no idea when I last saw you or spoke with you.
To the friendship that ended because of a guy, it's okay. I forgive you. I'm sure you were never going to apologize because you never thought anything was wrong, but I forgive you. I forgive you for throwing our friendship away because you were so in love with your boyfriend. I forgive you for making your boyfriend the center of your life and pushing everyone else away. It sucks and I miss you, but there is nothing I can do about it. Even if we were to become friends again, I know it will never be as it once was. While I will never understand why you would throw away a friendship because of a guy, it is what it is.
To the guy who won my old best friend's heart. To the guy I see in every picture, Facebook status, and tweet. To the guy who has become the center of my old best friend's life and the guy who is a factor in the end of our friendship, I ask one thing of you: treat her well. Treat her like a queen, protect her heart, make her laugh, and only make her cry tears of joy. We may not be friends anymore, but I have nothing but nice things to say about her and she deserves to be treated right. She thought you were worth more than our friendship, I hope she was right.
To my old best friend, the girl I used to be inseparable with but who is now a stranger, I hope you are doing well. I'm not sure of the last time we spoke, but I hope you are happy and I hope your relationship is going well. The two of you have been together for a long time and that makes me happy because at least it was worth it in your case. We may never be friends again, but I wish you nothing but the best.
To the friendship that ended because of a guy, I hope it was worth it.
Sincerely,
A Stranger You Once Called Your Best Friend
