Best Friends Forever

Three weeks ago, I had the privilege of going to visit my best friend in Boston. She is a student at Harvard University and we have been trying to plan this trip ever since she started there as a freshman about two and a half years ago. So, I forced myself to overcome my fear of flying and set off to Boston (well, Cambridge, really.) We had a GREAT time! I was only able to stay for three nights, but we were able to do and see so much. We walked the Freedom Trail in Boston, which was very interesting. I loved seeing all of the historical sights and touring old buildings.  One thing I love to do is explore parks. Weird, maybe, but I love it. So, one of my favorite things about Boston was walking around Boston Common. I was finally able to experience fall, and I loved it. The weather was nice and colorful leaves were covering the ground. I also loved experiencing a small part of life at Harvard. The campus is beautiful and it was fun to walk around with Lauren and see where she lives and studies. It was also fun and rather stressful trying to navigate the public transportation system J. We also spent a lot of time in her dorm talking, drinking hot tea, and watching Pride and Prejudice. Those were some of my favorite times. Needless to say, the trip was a great success and I’m so glad we were finally able to make it happen.

Now, I want to tell you a little bit about this friendship and why it is so significant. It’s not your average “we’ve been best friends since kindergarten” story. Lauren’s dad was the pastor of our church for many years. He and his wife were expecting Lauren at the same time my parents were expecting me. My parents joined the church a few months before I was born. Lauren and I were born exactly two weeks apart. I can honestly say that I cannot remember a time in which Lauren was not a part of my life. We were best friends from the start. I’m sure many of the people in the church at that time can attest to the fact that we were inseparable from the time we could crawl.  The two of us were quite a pair, always running around making up silly games and causing trouble. You can imagine how upset we both were when we were five years old and found out that Lauren and her parents would be moving to the San Antonio area, five hours away from where we were currently living. I still remember the day she moved. My parents took me over to her house for one final playdate. We had crawling races in her empty room and climbed the tree in her front yard as we had done so many times before. And then, we watched them drive away. I was only five, but I still remember the sorrow I felt on that day.

I can’t help but believe that at this point, many friends would simply lose touch. Five is still a very young age, and it would have been easy for both of us to go to school and find a new best friend. We could have possibly stayed in contact occasionally, but it might have become awkward as we grew up since so much distance separated the two of us. However, this was not the case for Lauren and I. Over the years, our moms would bring the two of us to Houston for frequent weekend visits. We always had so much fun on those trips and it was truly as if we had never been apart. We would pick up right where we had left off. Lauren would also come stay with me for at least a week every summer. Even though we often only saw each other twice a year, we shared a bond that could not be broken. Countless memories were made even though we were separated by so much time and distance. Now, we are 20, and Lauren is still my very best friend in the world. In some ways, we couldn’t be more different, especially now that we’re in college. Still, we have so many similarities and one very important thing that I believe has held us together all of these years: Our faith in God and reliance on Jesus as our Savior. Only He could create a friendship that strong over so many years and miles.

For the past few years, Lauren and I have written emails to each other at Thanksgiving to express our gratitude that we still have each other as best friends. I’m a day late, but I was also supposed to write this blog three weeks ago. Lauren knows that I’m notorious for being late J. So, here goes…

Dear Lauren,

I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being my best friend for 20 years now. It’s still hard to believe how far we’ve come. I remember being three years old and running through the church hiding from “monsters.” And of course, dancing in your dad’s office, which is now, ironically, my dad’s office! I remember getting yelled at for playing underneath the handbell tables and staying up all night to “talk about the plan.” There was also that summer when we decided to become detectives and investigate the hollow tiles in my house that obviously led to a secret passageway (I think we read too many Nancy Drew books.) Let’s not forget all of the trips to Houston in which we compared American girl dolls, gave the weather and traffic report, and inevitably got into a fight or two. Come to think of it, we’ve had more than a few fights over the years. Thank you for never staying mad at me. Also, I could never forget all of the times we went shopping and insisted on buying matching outfits. These are just a handful of the truly countless memories we have made over the years. I always knew you would end up at Harvard, and now you’re there and I couldn’t be more proud!

Thank you for being my confidant. One of the perks of you living so far away is that I’ve always been able to vent to you and tell you everything that’s going on without having to worry about you telling anyone. Thanks for always knowing exactly what to say to remind me that everything is going to be okay and that I really need to stop stressing and overthinking everything.

Thank you for being yourself and allowing me to be myself. We are so very different, but opposites attract! I have never had to worry about being made fun of or having to prove myself when I’m with you. You are one of the few people that I have never felt the need to compare myself to or be jealous of. You’ve been my friend at my best and at my worst, and I could never thank you enough for that.

Thank you for staying true to your beliefs and convictions in a world that tries to sway both of us otherwise. Sometimes, it’s so hard to be different and take the high road, but I know I’m not alone. I always thoroughly enjoy our long talks about Jesus and following Him when it’s hard.

Thank you for holding me accountable and keeping me grounded. You inspire and challenge me to be more disciplined and steadfast. Yet, you still occasionally agree to eat cookies and ice cream, go on random walks down Avenue H, and get lost at the beach with me, because it’s okay to be spontaneous sometimes.

Thank you for always listening to my rants, encouraging me in my faith, and staying up all night to talk about our hopes and dreams for the future. I couldn’t have asked for a better best friend and I’m thankful that, because of Jesus, we truly will be best friends forever!

In Christ,

Katie <><