My friends...

...I can email one of you with my daily Virtual Disney Visit Itinerary and you will jump right into the conversation, fully invested, without ever once thinking I am out of my mind. Our spins on the Peoplemover with Dole Whips in hand make some days more bearable than I could ever express. Thank you for taking the time to imagine, discuss, listen, offer and rant with me, no matter the topic. I have you to thank for whatever shred of sanity that remains.

...One of you stretches me far beyond my comfort zone. Everyone needs that person in their life, if they intend to grow, and yet you never judge me when I take the stretching at my own pace. You are the yin to my yang. My opposite but still my equal. We have laughed more over long-standing jokes and "remember that time..." than I do with anyone else. You are the family I choose for myself, because you understand the importance of giving back as much as you receive, and I know you've got my back. There's no one else with whom I would rather balance out the universe.

...To one of you I say "Me too!" and you always bounce back "Of course." Or perhaps it goes the other way. Your kind heart, generosity, honesty, and the fairness with which you treat others remind me that good people exist in this world, but it is your wicked sense of humor and deadpan sarcasm that may be my most favorite, because even though life has not always played kindly with you, you never lose them. Attitude is everything and I admire you for that.

...One of you always has a kind or encouraging word for me. You may not realize that the well-placed Scripture you share or the gentle reminders you give have the impact that they do, but they ground me when I need it most. You are one of the most sincere people I know and you remind me that is a quality to which  I give high value, not only in others, but in myself.

...There are people with whom you can pick up immediately where you left off, whether you "left off" an hour ago or some time last spring, and one of you is exactly this sort of person. I love your ability to resume the conversation without needing to recap, as if you had merely tapped a pause button where we last left off. It cracks me up. But more than that, you aren't afraid to bare it all, emotionally or mentally. Your emotions and reactions may be volatile and intense, but you certainly own them, good or bad. And you work harder on fixing the areas that need work than most people actually see or give you credit for. You've grown tremendously over the past year and I am so proud of you.

...I never had a little sister (or, well, any sister), but I imagine that if I did, you'd be her. I love that you make me think before I speak, that you ask me questions that force me to pause and evaluate my own actions before responding. You think I give you all this one-sided advice but I am actually learning through self-evaluation. So few people create the proper relationship for this to happen--most of the time we want or need someone to listen, to nod along, to offer the appropriate platitudes, and that certainly has its place--but rest assured you are not the only one growing through our exchanges, and I appreciate that you give me the opportunity to not only be your friend but allow me the chance to see myself more clearly.

...One of you is has the ability to understand me without actual words. We can have a conversation consisting solely of fragmented sentences spoken in gasps between gales of laughter, the kind that makes your stomach hurt like a thousand crunches and tears stream down your face til you can't breathe, and no one needs to explain what we're talking about, we just know. When our friendship was new, I was at a crossroads, and we survived it. And we've survived many more since then. I know you are willing to go to battle with me, to say the hard things gently but firmly, and to kick the butt of anyone who makes me cry...and then take me out for cake. Because really? Cake frosting is the cement of friendship. Everyone should know this.

...I am fairly sure one of you was separated from me at birth. We process things the same way. We have nearly identical reactions and preferences (I say "nearly" because we disagree on a few things, like ink color and, more recently, a particular fruit). You have a firsthand knowledge of what it feels like to be me, even though the paths we've taken in life are far from identical. It just seems, at our very core, we are alike in the most fundamental ways, in both strengths and weaknesses. When it feels like I am the only one, that no one else could possibly "get it"...there you are, and you do.

...To those of you who take the time to communicate, to share laughter, who make the effort, who listen, who make my world richer for what you bring, who take me as I am (a thankless task many times, I fear), you are not thanked often enough for simply being here, allowing your circle to overlap mine and walking beside me each time our paths merge. You make this "broken road" beautiful in the very midst of its flaws and shadows.