Dear Maddy,
On June 28, you were born. I wasn’t there when you came into this world, but I was there when you walked into mine and when you did, you changed everything.
I have always had friends. Someone to have lunch with. Someone to call after a difficult day at work or after a fight with my boyfriend. I have had someone to shop with or talk about hair with. So, I thought I knew how to define a friendship, and I didn’t think I could be surprised.
Then you showed up and you taught me new things about being a friend. Yes, I can call you when something good happens and I can call you when my life is disrupted by the unexpected, but the experience is different with you. You don’t expect me to be any different than I am at that moment. I don’t feel the need to excuse or justify my thoughts or my feelings. You hear with your heart. You listen with your instincts. You ask questions before you judge and you show me patience when I feel like I’m unraveling.
You tell me what I need to hear, and even if it stings in the moment, I know your intention is always to move me forward and not leave me behind. I love your sense of humor, at least most of the time, and I love that when I tell you a story you feel no need to compete.
But today is your birthday and no one can compete with that. Sometimes we wonder as the years go by if we have made a difference. We question our purpose. We want reassured that if we weren’t here, we would be missed. I can tell you without hesitation that you have made a difference in my life. And since you tell me on a regular basis how smart I am, then you will agree when I tell you that I know I am not the only one. When you ask someone how their day is, you do so in a way that makes them really want to tell you. You are authentic, real, beautiful, intelligent, and created to do just what you are doing. So, on this day as you are celebrating and perhaps making a wish, know that my wish is you see in you what I feel every time I am surrounded by your friendship.
Happy Birthday my friend,
I love you,
Jess