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At some point in your life you learn a lot about friendship. I used to think, a best friend is someone who knows you better than anyone else. But now, I’m learning a best friend is someone who knows you better than anyone else and sticks by your side, anyway.
Truly great friends are absolutely priceless. You don’t need a certain number of them. Just a number of them you can be certain of. Certain they’ll be the anchor to your boat, when everyone else just wants to party on it.
Certain they won’t go silent the minute things in your friendship get uncomfortable or inconvenient. Certain they will lift you up when you’re having a bad day sometimes, with an encouraging word, sometimes with a hug, sometimes with a listening ear.
Certain they will be excited, truly, genuinely excited when great things happen to you. Certain they’ll follow through on the promises they make, and hold you to the same standard.
Certain that when they say, “I’m always here for you,” you can really believe and trust it. Best friends are people who call you out on your flaws when you aren’t showing up as your best self.
And they stay by your side as you fully learn the lesson, even if it means starting out with a lot of kicking and screaming.
To be continued.