It took me a while to realize that your happiness does not depend on how many friends you have, but it depends on who your friends are. I have a small group of individuals that I call my "best friends" and I cherish the fact that I can call them that. My best friends are not all people that I have known my whole life. As a matter of fact, many of them did not come into my life until I became a teenager. If people want to become your friend during one of the hardest stages of life and help you get through it, odds are, they are willing to stay with you through all of the obstacles of life. I hoped for the best when I met these people and they have never let me down. They have been there with me during the most amazing experiences of my life and have been the first people that I have called or texted when I was struggling to find my way through the hardest times. They are people that I have gone on adventures with at home and have agreed to be by my side as we travel the world together. They are the people that make me laugh until I cry, that inspire me to pour my heart out, push me to do my best and always tell me to not give up on my dreams. They have shown me what love is and help me live my life to the fullest. They are more than my best friends, they are my family. Most importantly, they are my favorite part about coming home.

Let me tell you about how magnificent by hometown best friends are. I hope that you are all lucky enough to have people like them in your life that you can always run to.

A true gift that I have been fortunate to receive is a life long friendship. We started off as childhood friends, that became teenage friends and then soon after became adult friends. She is a person who has grown up with me and been there through it all. Our moms were and still remain best friends and we aim to one day have that same relationship. She is a person who may not be able to come around all of the time, but when she does, it is like time never stopped. We pick up right where we left off. She is the person that will someday be the godmother to my children and will continue to be the one that I share all of my proudest moments with. We have cried together, laughed together and are slowly navigating our way through the "big kid" world together. I know that no matter what happens, we can always find our way back home to where our crazy journey together started.

Sometimes the greatest friends are the ones you feel like you have known forever, but stumbled upon by chance. She is the one who keeps me grounded, who gives me the best advice and always pushes me to take chances. She has inspired me to go outside of my comfort zone and has been there for me when it has not worked out. She is the one I can talk to for hours about nothing and the girl that is going to make it big when she gets into the real world. She is talented, artistic, rebellious (in a good way) and possesses a determined spirit. She is going to be my children's cool (un)biological aunt and the one that they run to when they want to try and figure out the big city. She is the coolest gal and I am lucky to know her.

When you make a friend during what most people would call, "rock bottom", never downplay that. That person that comes to you, will end up being a saving grace. I know that this girl was for me. She came into my life when I felt the most alone and did not have anyone to turn to. She defended me, when I did not feel confident enough to have a voice of my own and she helped me get back on my feet. She has been by my side ever since the start of high school and is one of the most humble and modest people that I have ever met. She is the person that I can always be my true self with and understands all of my weird jokes. She'll be there during all of the best days of my life and will be on the other end of the phone line when I need cheering up. She's the greatest friend I could have ever asked for and I cannot thank her enough for all that she has done.

There are times when we make a friend that is younger than us and that can be one of the most special relationships that we ever have. Often times it is more like you are talking to a sibling, rather than someone that is just a friend. This friend is someone that has taught me more than I could have ever taught her. She is someone that is a little sister to me and that I would do anything for. This person is the only friend that I have ever traveled overseas to see because she means that much to me. She is someone that reminds me to always love my family and has inspired me to be proud of where my family came from. She has been my number one cheerleader and has calmed me down when I worry too much about the future. She has an infectious personality and always makes me happy. I know no matter where the world takes us, nothing will change because we will always have each other.

I never thought when I was a young girl that I would have a guy best friend, never mind two. This guy in particular is someone I always knew, but it took many years and a week long trip for me to realize that I wanted this guy to be one of my "best buds". Four years and a trip to Scotland later we have a stronger relationship than ever before. If you are a girl and you want the best guy advice, having a male best friend is one of the best places to start. He is always there with a cheerful message after an awful romantic situation. He never fails to make me laugh and never lets me be too serious. He keeps me humble and always lets me by who I am. He's a spur of the moment kind of guy, which always makes things interesting and is often times the reason for some many of our adventures.

I hope that everyone has the opportunity to meet someone that brings out the best in you. This guy that I have as one of best friends always does this whenever I am with him. He is someone that has always made sure that I am aware of my assets as an individual. He pushes me to give my all and just being around him makes me want to do more as a human being. We share the same passion for our futures and I know that he is going to do whatever he sets his mind to. He is one of the goofiest and smartest people I know and he makes me smile more than anyone I have ever met. One of the greatest things that he has told me is to never settle in any aspect of life. His friendship means the world to me and I know that I will always be able to rely on him.

Life is too short to have lackluster friends. Have good friends, have best friends and have friends that turn into family. Have people that make you laugh until you cry and people that will be your shoulder to cry on whenever those times come. Let them know how much you appreciate them and be thankful for them because "best friends" are one of the hardest treasures to dig up during this trip called "life".

Thank y'all for being yourselves and for being the best.