Friendship isn’t always smooth sailing. Sometimes, it’s messy. Life pulls you in different directions, and there are moments when you don’t see each other as often as you’d like. There are times when you drift, when misunderstandings happen, when life just gets in the way.
But when you find a real friendship—the kind that weathers every storm—you realize how rare and beautiful it truly is.
Yesterday, my bestie and I spent the day together at the parade with our girls. It was one of those effortless, feel-good days—the kind where you don’t overthink, you just enjoy. We laughed, we talked, we soaked in the moment. And then, later that day, I got a text from her.
It wasn’t just any text—it was a reminder of what true friendship feels like.
“I could never thank you enough for being such a good friend to me. Even when I didn’t know I needed it, you did what was best for not only me, but for my daughter. You are a really good person, an even better mom, and an even better friend. I have never focused so much energy on finding friends here because I don’t have time for fake connections. I really only have one friend out here and you have always been more than enough, even when I didn’t deserve it. I love you forever, thank you.”
It meant the world to me. Because friendships like this? They don’t come around often.
It’s easy to believe that friendship should always be effortless, but the truth is, real friendship isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence. It’s about showing up, even when life is chaotic. It’s about knowing someone’s heart, even when they don’t say much. It’s about seeing them, really seeing them, and loving them through all of it.
We don’t always get friendships right. There are times we get busy, distracted, or caught up in our own worlds. There are seasons when we’re less present, when we struggle, when we fail to express how much someone means to us. But the real ones? They stay. They don’t fade when things get hard. They don’t need constant reassurance because the foundation is solid.
And when you have a friend who reminds you, in their own way, that you are loved, valued, and enough—it makes all the difference.
But friendship isn’t just about the lighthearted moments. True friendship is standing up when something is wrong and not backing down. It’s about having the hard conversations, making tough calls, and knowing that even if there’s tension, even if there’s disagreement, the bond is strong enough to hold.
A few years ago, we had one of those moments. It wasn’t easy. At the time, it might have felt like a divide between us, but I stood my ground because I knew what I was doing was necessary. And now? She sees it too. She understands why I did what I did, and that realization has only made our friendship stronger.
Real friendships aren’t built on avoiding hard things. They’re built on respect, honesty, and growth. Sometimes, that means calling each other out. Sometimes, it means making choices the other person may not understand in the moment. But true friends don’t walk away when things get uncomfortable. They lean in. They listen. They learn.
And when you come out on the other side, the bond is deeper than before.
I am beyond grateful for my bestie. For the years of friendship, for our daughters growing up together, for the moments of laughter, and even for the hard lessons along the way. Friendship isn’t about having a big circle—it’s about having the right people in your corner.
And I’m so lucky to have her.
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