my unconventional friend

a diary of little things and curiosities: the other kind of friend.: "There's something to be said for the every day sort of friend, the one you see so often they may as well be family--the one you do everythin..."

I love the above post by Laura.  It made me think about my other kind of friend.  I mean, I have several very good friends who I rarely see, I rarely speak to, and probably only exchange text messages with every couple of months.  Nonetheless, when I see them, we spend hours catching up and I remember why I consider them my very good friends.   

But this post (and the person I really thought about when I read Laura's post) is about a certain, special, other kind of friend.  Someone, I should say, I have quite an unconventional friendship with.  We don't see each other much.  He lives in a different state.  We don't even talk on the phone.  But somehow, I always feel connected to him.  Like he's not that far away.  Because no matter how much time has passed from the last time I saw him, his presence is still familiar and comforting, it's as if, not much time has passed at all.  If anything, I feel more of a closeness to him. 

For a long time, I wondered what it was between us.  What the connection was.  Who was he in my life?  Was he really just a friend?  But over the years, I've realized that it's really quite simple: he is my friend.  A different kind of friend who I don't have to see or talk to everyday to know that he's my friend or that he is someone special in my life.  And what I've realized lately, from the last few times I've seen him, is that I love him.  Just for who he is.  Who he has become.  And who is to me: someone who makes me strive to be the best person I can be.  Aren't those the best kinds of people in our lives? 

You know, a friend who inspires us to be our best selves.  And a friendship with no expectations or sense of obligation ~ just love.  And kindness.  And respect.  And trust.  Trust that no matter what, our interests or intentions are never to hurt one another.  That each other's happiness is what matters.  I believe that's what I have with him.  That's who he is to me.  My unconventional (best) friend.

And because of him, I've learned that love and friendship comes in different shapes and forms.  That there is no set design or format about how it should be or look like.  And as long as you each abide by this one criteria: be good to one another, the rest will follow.  The rest being a beautiful, albeit unconventional, friendship.

photo via weheartit