When you have a best friend in life it is both a miracle and a blessing. Living in a world full of hatred, jealousy, confusion, choices, stress, sadness, and emptiness, it can be hard going through that alone. Of course, for most of us, there is family by our sides to help us through difficult situations that we may face, but no one can take the place of your best friend, but your best friend.

Best friends are something rare and a lot use the term “best friend” very loosely in our day and age. So what exactly is a “best friend”?

1. A best friend is there for you when you fall… figuratively and literally.

In life, things happen that we might not expect or see coming. Best friends are there to pick you up when you are down. Help you understand yourself worth if someone tried to destroy that. To make you see how good of a person you are inside and out. They are there to talk to you and be your own personal therapist at any time, whether it is at 1:00 pm or 4:30 am. A best friend is someone that you go to when you are not even sure if you know who you are anymore.

2. A best friend is someone you can be yourself around.

Whether it is dressing up for Halloween and being dramatic together, or if it is when you are balling your eyes out over a guy while looking like a raccoon, they accept you. It is to sit in bed all day watching Gossip girl together and eating all the junk food in the apartment. It is someone you can be on the phone with while going pee, and actually saying “hey before you continue on this topic, if you hear water running I am peeing” and if you haven’t peed while on the phone with your best friend then are you two really best friends? (think about it). It is to taking off all the layers of makeup and letting your natural hair down during a sleepover. Through all of those not so glamorous moments as “Gossip Girl” would say, they still love you the same.

3. A best friend is someone who you can tell your secrets too, Even the ones you wish you didn’t have, and they still hold on to you no matter what.

Sometimes you do things in life that you aren’t proud of or just not happy about. But who is there for you to talk to without them being disappointed, without them judging you, and without them questioning your actions, and instead of sitting next to you trying to understand why you did what you did. A best friend is not there to tell you what to do. Now they sure as hell can and should yell at you if you truly do something that could have caused you harm, but at the end of the day, they should never leave your side. A best friend is someone who comes into your life and becomes a part of you. If you get into a situation, well guess what.. they are in it too. A best friend is there to hold you and help you become a better person from the poor decisions you might have made.

4. A best friend is there to make you smile and laugh through life, even if laughing is the only thing that can keep you from crying.

Having a best friend is the farthest thing from a “walk in the park”. They are crazy, nosey, and confusing at times. But they are amazing, trusting, supportive, and one of the most positive aspects in your life. Friends make you laugh until you cry, but a best friend makes you laugh to the point of where you might actually pee your pants at the age of 20. They are there to make jokes about reality and to get your mind of off what is going on and to just enjoy life. They are there to be a partner in crime and of course to be an idiot with, because what fun is it to be an idiot alone? They say the dumbest things at the most random or worst times, but that is just who they are. A best friend is there to turn you into the carefree seven-year-old that you once were, and we all seem to forget what that feels like sometimes.

5. A best friend is someone who won't let your heartbreak alone.

They are there with you through the ups of a relationship no matter if they life the individual you are with or not. They are there with you when your whole entire world that you loved for seven years completely tears you apart and leaves. They are there to tell you what a jerk he was and then also to remind you of all the things he taught you in the process. A best friend is there to essentially pick up the pieces and show you your self-worth again. Never to judge you for going back to that person over and over again if the opportunities arise. They are there for you and they will do their best to protect you. But even if you do not take their advice, they still will stand by your side. And to let you know that “everything will be okay”.

So how many of you can say your so called “best friend” meets all 5 criteria? I know I can.

My best friend has been there for me through the best of times and the worst of times. She has talked sense into me and also gave me some pretty insane ideas. She has taught me so much about life and has helped me see different perspectives in many things. She is so strong, smart, beautiful, and can handle anything life throws at her. Finding a best friend in life is very rare, but I have been blessed to find mine. And in case you do not know if your best friend actually is your best friend, myself and my best friend Tessa can tell you that “everything is going to be okay.” After all, that is what we tell each other. From one lucky best friend to another.

Stay True,

Montana Joleen