To The Friends Who Became Family In 2022: Thank You For Choosing Me Back

To the friends who became family in 2022:

Thank you.

Thank you for being there for me when I couldn’t even show up for myself. Thank you for encouraging me to stand back up when I got knocked down. Thank you for being a shoulder to lean on, a listening ear, and the hand that helped pull me back up on my own two feet.

Thank you for being patient with me during the times I was difficult because I know there were plenty of occasions when I was. Thank you for seeing the best in me when I was at my worst. Thank you for loving me during the moments I was hard to love.

Thank you for the fun nights out and the quiet nights in, too. Thank you for being my go-to people for the good news and the bad news and the silly in-between days’ news. Thank you for celebrating me, thank you for grieving with me, and thank you for laughing at me and with me, too.

Thank you for showing me that family can be the people who feel most like home and that sometimes blood has nothing to do with it. Thank you for choosing me back as your family, too.

Most importantly, thank you for being my safe space. Thank you for standing by my side through everything you have. I couldn’t have made it through 2022 without you.

Cheers to the many years to come. I love you.