BFF

There are certain people, when you meet them, that you just know are going to be a part of your life forever. They are always there for a quick phone call, they’re always there to get a drink and just shoot the shit, and they never seem to judge you. They just accept and love you for who you are-- no questions asked.

I had a lot of friends like this. All through high school, college and even for a little while after I graduated, I went to their weddings, visited them in the cities they moved to, and often, got good and drunk with them. I could never imagine replacing them.

Here’s the thing, though: I was dead wrong. Almost none of these people that I thought I would love forever, have houses next to, and raise our children born six months apart together are still in my life. I can blame a lot of this on moving across the country, but most of this split happened because of me. I am no longer interested in people who love me for who I am. I want people who challenge me to be something that I’m not. People who make me try new things and, when I fail, to tell me that at least I gave it a shot. I want to be friends with people who are interested in my life- not just using me as a sounding board for their own. I want people that always pick up the phone and call me back.

These people are hard to find, and when you do, you want to hold on to them tightly- even if they are 2,000 miles away. And I guess that’s why I’m bringing all this up today. One of my favorite people has to face one of the hardest things you could imagine and I wish I could be there. You just realize at some point that the people that make a real impact on your life aren’t the easy-going drinking buddies you spent your college days with; they’re the people who have stuck around for the messy chaos of the rest of your life.

Keep your chin up, Positive Polly.