Letter to my Oldest Friend

Dear J,

I don’t remember the exact first time we met, but I know about the time we met was when i was a freshman in high school and you were a senior.  We were an unlikely pair. We went to rival schools. I was college prep and you were vocational.  But, man, we had some great times! I don’t make friends very easily and I rarely keep in touch with someone as long as I have with you.  There have been times when we haven’t seen or talked to each other for a few years simply because our lives had taken us to different places .  What I love best about our friendship though, is that after all that time and all our different life experiences we can still relate to one another and we can still get together and goof off like no time had ever slipped between us.  

One thing I love about our friendship is all the memories we share.  I remember the time we went to Creation Fest. I went with one group and you and your brother and a few friends went on your own.  I remember deciding to take a walk one night to see if I could find you. And among the thousands of cars, campers and trailers, I managed to walk up the right path and there you were.  It was so typical that I would find your old beat up car among the thousands of others sitting right there.

I remember all the weekend retreats we did as teenagers, hiking in the woods, the crazy times we had when you would crash at my apartment when I was in college because you were in the area doing military drills,  all our girl’s nights out w/my sister and the few others that seem to come and go, and last summer when we went to the beach was probably one of the most random vacations I have ever had!  These memories warm my heart and make me smile to think that while I may not have tons of close friends I have someone like you, who I could trust with my life…literally. (Your nursing/EMT/Military Medic training comes in very handy.)

What i really want to thank you for are those times when you’ve seen me at my worst; when I was broken, and unhappy and insecure.  You were a constant source of friendship, laughter and inspiration.  I know I’ve done the same for you at times.  We’ve always been there to offer a warm hug, a shoulder, an ear and then of course a shot of tequila! Thank you for being one of the best friends I have ever met. I only hope that I am as good a friend as you are to me.

Love,

M