There is something beautiful about friendship. The different varieties. The timing in which you enter each others lives. And the commitment and protectiveness towards one another. My friends are my family. And with family comes trials and tribulations, but even stronger, a love for one another that can't be broken.
Leah - I met Leah when I was 13. I knew of her before this, but never actually took a close notice. When I first met Leah, I was friends with her older brother, Lloyd (whom happened to be the desire of my heart at the time). I found myself spending a lot of time around Leah, while Lloyd and I were having our preteen fling. And I quickly realized that I was spending more time with Leah than I was with Lloyd. Essentially, I broke up with her brother for her. We have been best friends for 10 years now. Even though she still lives in Michigan, we make it a point to call or text or picture message each other every day. We also have the wonderful habit of basing our friendship off of plenty of lies. Lies, in the sense of surprising each other in our states of residency. I remember one year my aunt suddenly had an extra seat in her car for her trip to Tennessee. I called Leah telling her to pack her bags and get a ride to my aunts the next day. She told me she was already going to Cedar Point with a friend. I was pissed. How could she choose a one day trip to an amusement park so close to her, over a week trip to Tennessee to visit her best friend. My aunt drove her. We helped her unload the car and were all in the living room for about 15 minutes when the doorbell rang. My dad said that our neighbor was returning a drill of his that he'd borrowed. I went to the door to retrieve the drill, and when I opened up, there was my best friend, with suitcase in hand. I cried. I later reciprocated her epic plan with something quite spectacular. I had planned a random visit to Michigan, in the middle of a random month. I got her mom in on it. And I was going to leave that week. Not only was I visiting, but I was going to bring our close friend Carlton, whom we always said HAD to visit our hometown with us. I was talking to Leah on the phone the day before I was going to surprise her, and she was telling me that the next night was her first time singing on the worship team, and that she was so excited, and wished I could be there for it. I told her that she knew I couldn't afford any time off of work, and that I wished I could be there more than she knew. I hung up the phone, finished my shift, went to bed, and drove to Michigan. Carlton and I kept in touch with Leah's mom the whole drive, and eventually had to get her to kick Leah out of the house and to church so we could go to the house and shower before we surprised her. We picked up slurpees at 7-11 and headed to church. When we got there, Leah was on stage praying with the worship team. I snuck up behind her and when they said amen, I tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around. Stared at me dazed for a good 15 seconds. Before screaming and catapulting herself at me. After she caught her breathe I pointed to Carlton, which further commenced more catapults. (smiles) This woman has been there for through the most exciting, and more terrifying moments of my life. Though miles and miles away, she holds a spot in my heart that no one else could ever come close to. God has blessed me with the most amazing best friend I could ever have!
