Letters

1.  Go outside; be outstanding.

     I don't even know how we did it. What exactly was it that made both of us know from the second we met that we would share such a degree of friendship? None of this would ever have happened under any other circumstances, but somewhere, somehow, we managed to strike a bond- one of unprejudiced, unwavering, undying trust. It is this trust that means the world to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for being there for me when I needed it most.

     Distance has always been an interesting concept for us, one that really doesn't matter. I think it's because we both know that no matter how far apart we are and despite our differences, there's something about each other that will always spark the understanding. So wherever in the world you are, whatever life you're striving for, I hope you have found success beyond the standards of society; that you have made yourself a niche where you are truly comfortable without having succumbed to "normalcy". I hope that, despite the image of that tough exterior you paint on yourself, you let people know you far deeper, where your heart truly lies.

      P.S. As cliché as this may sound, I hope you find the girl of your dreams; you deserve her, and believe me when I say this: she deserves you.

2. I hope you feel satisfied.
    You are brilliant. You are intense, driven, and goal-oriented. But I hope that every once in a while, you step back to look at the life you've created for yourself. And I hope it brings a smile to your face. I love that smile. I hope that in these quiet, reflective moments, you come to realize what a masterpiece this is. Be proud of yourself- of the mountains you've climbed and the distance you've come. You've changed so much, yet not at all. You told me once that after such a long time, you felt alive. I think that's incredible and exhilarating, to know that you can push yourself to  your breaking point, but come back stronger than ever. It's the type of strength that everyone dreams to have , but for most, it remains that way - a dream. But you bring it to reality - not only for yourself, but for me as well. Thank you for making me believe in myself when it seemed like the last thing I could do. Thanks for the tough love; for telling me to keep fighting, and giving me the courage to do so. I honestly don't know where I'd be without it. You have fought so hard to get to where you are today. I hope you find your work rewarding, because I know, in the end, that's what means the most to you.
    P.S. Start doing things for no other reason than passion. Not everything you do has to serve a direct purpose.


3. Never stop chasing your dreams.
     Hell -or somewhere awfully close to it- is a place to which we've both been... But more importantly, it's a place from which we've both returned. If I haven't told you this already, I'll tell you now: I am so proud of you for being where you are now. Yes, you're dramatic, but I believe that you believe in yourself. However reckless, your confidence is what makes you who you are. I love how you balance being careful and carefree. We both know how much people judge you for your flaws, but I admire your ability to stand firmly for what you believe in and not let the opinions of others sway your mind. (Why should they? Your opinions don't need to rely on those of others.)
     You remind me of the Jazz Age: You are full of bright smiles and big dreams, and I really do hope you chase after them. You're one of the few people I know who truly believe in romance and know how to follow their heart. Let go of your insecurities; be proud of yourself, and keep challenging yourself. You've made it so far, you've accomplished so much, and I am so, so happy for you.
     P.S. You two are the best.


4. You're a jerk; the best one I've met.
    You really are a jerk. But your intelligence, sense of humour, and hilariously strange personality are unparalleled. I think what makes you so awesome is the fact that you've managed to step confidently out of whatever stereotype society had cut out for you. You turned out to be nearly the exact opposite of what I thought you would be. So the wisdom of clichés is right sometimes; never judge a book by its cover. I'm glad I didn't judge you based on what I heard about you. I would have been missing out on an awesome friend and some fantastic memories.
   I trust that you're having a fantastic time challenging yourself right now. I hope you get a lot out of it, because I know you're bound for greatness. I'm proud of you for really putting yourself out there lately and expanding your comfort zone. You seem a lot happier where you are, and that's awesome. I didn't think you'd settle in better than the rest of us combined, but then again, you never fail to surprise me. Keep pushing those limits. You rock.


5. Find strength in every day.
    You're probably one of the strongest individuals I've ever known, so writing that opening line really shocked me. You're independent and brave, yet you know when decisions are rash. Your advice is wise and soothing, no matter what the situation. One of the best things about you is that you remind me that beauty lies so much deeper than the skin. Your heart is probably one of the most generous ones I know. Even in the hardest of times, you never hesitate to help others, and this selflessness is what I admire most about you. Thank you for opening up to me. It takes a lot to lay your weaknesses in front of someone and ask them for help, knowing your heart is fully exposed. I'm touched that I have your trust; I value it greatly. And never forget this: I'm here for you.
      P.S. Play up your talents; you have so many of them.


6. You're fearless, as always.
     It's been way too long. I never thought I'd see you again (not that we see much of each other now). But I'm glad you're here. It's awesome that of all places to be, you chose to come here. I know how much you loved where you were; you told me yourself, so long ago you probably don't even remember. Maybe a little change is good. I hope the city's treating you well, and that it turns out to be all that you want it to be. Honestly, I never thought the big city scene suited you that well anyway.
      Nonetheless, thanks for sticking around. The company you keep is one of the best, or to me at least. You remind me what it is to imagine and to dream, but at the same time you keep me grounded. How do you do that? I don't think I'll ever figure it out. But that's fine by me. The bottom line is, I love talking to you and I appreciate that you're always there for me. Thanks for keeping it real.
      P.S. Open yourself up to people! Seriously, your personality is fantastic and it's about time you let people see that.


7. I owe you all my gratitude.
    Hey. It's been a while since we last talked. It'll probably be a while until we talk again, if we ever do. But if I can say one last thing to you, it's this: I don't regret you. I never did, and I never will. I'm sorry if I hurt you. We were perfect the way we were, but I'm glad it didn't work out. I didn't expect it to. But it certainly was not time gone to waste. I learned a lot in those short months, all because of you. You were the definition of that summer and of a transition zone, and I'm glad we were there to see each other through it. You helped me end one chapter of my life with happiness and fond memories, and I found myself looking forward to the next. In this subsequent chapter, you gave me the self-confidence to pursue my goals. You taught me to take risks, open up, and enjoy life by the day. In the end, you taught me to let go, and to forgive. For all this I cannot thank you enough.
    I hope you've had a fresh start, and I trust that you're a lot happier now than you were back then. You're a great person, and I know you'll find someone who appreciates you to the fullest.


8. You define the word awesome.
     I've never laughed as hard with anyone as I do with you. We were best friends from day one, and I'm so happy we've managed to keep it this way, even after all these years. Some things just never die. Our friendship needs no context or situation; it just happens, and that's the best way it can happen. I love our spontaneity. No one understands the awesomeness of randomness as much as we do. I can't explain it to anyone, but I don't even have to explain anything with you. I love the way we go with the flow and have the greatest adventures along the way. We make mistakes, but we laugh it off and they become memories. Things with you are just so much fun. Let's promise to visit each other often and never lose our childhood selves.


9. It's an interesting change for me.
    I'm really glad we got to renew our friendship. And I'm glad we're better friends than we were back then. I never thought we'd ever be like this; we were always just so polite and distant, like all we had to do was fulfill the duty of smiling sweetly to one another and that was the extent of our friendship. I'm glad that's changed.
    You probably have no idea, but I am so jealous of you sometimes. I don't think I've ever felt so jealous of anyone before; it shocked me. I don't think I would- or could, for that matter- ever be the type of person you are, but there's something about your proximity to perfection that... irks me. Please don't take it as a bad thing; it's merely a piece of honesty about something that piques my interest.
Despite what I felt was a rocky start, things turned out to be a lot better than I thought they would. In the end, it's comforting to have someone to talk to, who's been in the exact same situations and who's doing the exact same things. I like having you around. Talking to you is so easy, and I hope you feel the same way.

10. I hope you're still grinning like you did back then.
      You reminded me what true friendship felt like, after the definition had been lost on me over the course of many years. You opened up a door for me that I didn't even know existed. But it was incredible, and I loved it. What you and the others (but especially you) showed me in that one year, I didn't even know I needed so badly. That year was amazing. I'm not sure if I'd have wanted to stay if given the choice though. I'm glad things turned out the way it did. I'd love to go back though. Maybe I'll see you again.
     Thanks for catching up with me. We've covered such a huge time gap in so little time, but I've realized that this is probably one of the most amazing things in life, losing touch with someone but getting to know them again years later. It's inspiring to see that you've been through all the same ups and downs as everyone else, yet you've picked yourself up and you're shining brighter than ever. Keep smiling. Your smile is so encouraging and so infectious. Whatever it is you're doing, keep doing it. You're friendly and popular, yet down to earth and so much fun. I know you'll do so many great things in life and live each day to the fullest. You seem happy, and quite simply, that makes me happy.