A Letter

My dearest friend,

You are about to begin a new chapter of your life.  There will be so much more to follow.  Such is the glory of youth.  I wish you a lifetime of joy and happiness.  But I have to say,  that my life would not be the same without you in it.

You didn't run away six months ago, and I'm still not sure why. I put a lot of effort in chasing you off.   Why didn't you go?  Why didn't you listen?  I am so grateful that you did not.

I have been in some dark places, and your words have been there to wipe away my tears and pull me up.  You believed in me when I didn't.  You knew I can be a better person, and many times you've held up the mirror and showed her to me.  Whenever I've needed a kind word or morale support or just a giggle, you just seemed to know.

 There were times, along the way, that I had doubts.  I was afraid that you were just humoring me.  Keeping the lonely old lady entertained (in your eyes).  Laughing with your buddies about the silly woman that you've been chatting with.  But I know that even a good source of entertainment gets old.  You get bored, you move on.  You have never been that source of entertainment to me.... after the first 3 days... ;-)

When you were gone, for days at I time, I missed you terribly.  How long did I have to wait to tell my friend about my latest adventure?  And I loved hearing about all the things that you were doing.  I wasn't quite sure when that switched from "nice to hear from you" to "I can't wait to tell you".

People thought there wasn't much for us to talk about.  Yet we've talked almost daily, for hours.  Sometimes DEEP, MEANINGFUL conversations, sometimes just 3 hours of pure silliness.  You told me that I could be mushy with you, and you know that I will never laugh at you for being your absolute silliest. I will laugh with you though.   We've never put pressure on each other to be anything other than what we were.

You have told me many times how much I've changed you for the better.  Your 'better' was always there; maybe I'm just the one that saw it. But when you told me a few days ago that I was your best friend, I cried.  I didn't say anything, but I bet you knew.  You've been mine for so long now.

This letter is hopelessly rambling, I know.  But I can't really put everything I could say in words.  I like how you always say "when I see you....", not "if" or "someday, maybe".  So, my friend, when I see you I can show you everything I couldn't say.

h/k