You are my friend.

Love of my life. you are my friend. words by the great Erykah Badu. & i couldn’t have said it better because loves of my life. you are my friends. the adoration times infinity is abundant. our love has no beginning and hopefully has no end. you fill my heart when it’s nothing there. you let me fill yours when you need it too. we’re really holding hands in this thing called life. like for real. not for fake. & I’m so grateful for you.

friends really are the family you choose.

one of my favorite things about friendship is the intimacy. it’s hidden in the details, but it’s also painted in the sky. you know when you see a friend and your heart just lights up? in each other’s arms, on facetime, with a margarita, or on the dance floor? you know what i’m talking about. pure bliss! a real heaven on earth even when you feel like you’re in hell. i love the small moments. listening to music together. dreaming together. reliving the life that ended years ago in memories and conversations. sitting in the park. eating pizza together. road trips in rv’s. celebrations. deaths. babies. births. baby daddies.& mamas. the details of friendship are endless. so let’skeep going.

sharing common interests like helping those in need. & if not that’s not a common interest, encouraging others to join in doing God’s work.

showing your scars. literally. and being loved endlessly. crying. hugging. laughing. are you my bodyguard? saving me every time we go out? i feel invincible. you give a freedom that comes with protection. a real-life Superman. you know when you’re in a pickle & god sends you a friend at the perfect time? that’s crazy. friendship is concrete evidence of real-life angels. & nice Uber ladies.

friends hold you accountable & tell you when you’re stupid. tough conversations. a friend is person who sees your blind spots and makes sure you don’t hit the car right next to you. sometimes as a platonic girl friend we have to help our counterparts soften his heart with empathy and compassion instead of logic. tell him it’s okay to trust love. let your heart lead and not your head. Or head. because if you get your heart broken, your friends will be there to hold your hand. ready to remind a friend of who they are when they forget. hold a mirror up. meeting them in the ethers with the sweetest prayers.

genuine friends want nothing want nothing but for you to receive everything your heart desires. it’s a safe place to be good. bad. and in-between.

speaking up a friend’s name & getting a text. reminding you that you’re forever connected through time & space because a heart connection knows no distance and no time.

the real love at first site is I just met her and kinda loved her since the day we met! or is it when you met your guy friend who wanted to date you, but you taught him how to value your friendship + now yall are forever friends. friendship has longevity. dating does not + guys make amazing friends! speaking of, one of my guy besties. we saved someone’s life together once. had to put a homeboy in the shower together. & we took his clothes off. we signed. sealed. & delivered. for sure.

friendship is standing up for your friend even when they don’t know how to stand up for themselves. it has been waking up at 3am when you’re fighting with your boyfriend in Mexico, and for some reason, I am the trusted mediator. how did i get here? i don’t know, but I call it friendship.

friends fill in the gaps of life. but they’re also like glue. but they’re also the art piece in the middle of an art show. so encompassing. what is a life without friends? I don’t know. I hope I never find out. they babysit. they pull up. when you’re stressed, you have a friend.

Make it stand out

i love the intimacy of friendship. when my cat died in 8th grade, my friend sat on the phone with me until 6am every day during Christmas break. i was scared to go to sleep. the trauma of seeing my dead cat. 20 years later, i’m helping him find a wife, but i’ve liked all of his girlfriends too!

friends don’t do things just because they’re obligated. not bonded by blood. just love & connection. of one another. how special is that?

one of my favorite things in life is being a friend. it is an honor and a privilege to have such optional relationships rooted in care. i know some people are reading this like. wow. this is too deep. honestly, i don’t think most people value friendship. people say we’re just friends like it’s a bad thing. but in all actuality, it’s one of the highest honors. in my mind, it stands the test of time more than some relationships. friends are forever. your lover might not be.

it saddens me that some people don’t have good friends, but I think one of the key recipes is to be a good friend. that way you will align yourself with other good friends. i have noticed tho that some people are not really friends with their friends. they just hang out with other people. but friendship? it never gave. One thing I will say about friendship is that I have to stop picking up girls from the side of the road or the grocery store. Snakes linger everywhere.

remember, friends are the family you choose. thanks for coming to my Ted talk. can’t wait til your birthday. i want to tell the world i love you & i love posting you on your birthday!