I’ve never been the most popular person who had a shitload of friends. In fact, if I had attended an American highschool, I’d surely never have sat in the canteen’s prom queen corner. Yet, I never felt that there was something missing because I am lucky enough to call some of the most extraordinary and admirable people I ever encountered my friends. I’m not trying to be cheesy (and if I am, I gladly offer some red wine to digest), I’m just trying to put into words what friendship means to me.

Friendship is laughing together so hard until tears whelm up in your eyes, and forgetting why you were laughing in the first place. Friendship is sensing that there’s something wrong without having to ask, and being able to comfort without saying a single word. Friendship is being genuinely interested in another person, empathising with them because they have become a part of you, which means that you feel miserable when they do, and are happy when they are. Friendship is sharing, participating, and enriching each other’s life. Friendship is staying up all night watching cartoons and eating sweets until your belly hurts. Friendship is sitting on the balcony or in the kitchen with bottles of beer or red wine and lamenting over the cruelty of life. Friendship is going to the tattoo shop together and holding each other’s hand. Friendship is spending an entire day together when all you initially planned was to meet for a coffee. Friendship is listening and revealing in equal measures. Friendship is missing each other when the other one’s not around. Friendship is a second home. Friendship is being critical and telling the truth we so often deny to ourselves. Friendship is getting back together after not speaking to each other for more than a year. Friendship is the ability to forgive, to believe and to hope. Friendship is love.

Cheesy, eh? I might be. But I don’t care because I’m being honest just as much. And I hope that all of you, my dear friends, who happen to read this know that I am talking about you. I don’t take you for granted, and even though I’m not always around, I care about you. I’m grateful for having you in my life. End of cheesy note. Red wine, anyone?