My friends, my family

So I've been thinking a lot about my friends. I realized that I have a very thin distinction between my friends and my family, almost so thin as to not be there at all. For all the things that matter they are the same, and I name my siblings as friends, though I swear, if I could just get my youngest brother to change his background on his myspace to something where you could read even some of the stuff on his page.

I take for granted sometimes what my friends offer, or that they offer anything at all. I learn so much from every one of them, and it seems that I will always learn from them. I have learned that you can overcome any obstacle, even yourself. I have learned that sometimes doing something crazy, following your heart with no regard for your head, can lead to amazing things. I have learned that you cannot run away from yourself. I have learned that by letting go, trusting my friends, I live life in ways that I didn't think I ever could. I have learned that having more stuff does not mean having more happiness. I have learned that I rock. I have learned that if I fall, my friends will be there, maybe not to pick me up, but at least to take the fall with me. If there is anything I could do in this life, any goal that I could accomplish, it would be to spend more time with my friends. I find myself missing the ones that I never thought I really was affected by. My friends keep me honest, especially about myself.

Dear friends,

Thank you. For everything you have done, and everything that you will do. For everything that you teach me, for eveything that I teach you. For listening to me. For trusting me enough to talk to me, to listen to my advice, to let me drive. For letting me be a part of each of your lives. For everything. I can never put into words what each one of you means to me, but my life would be a little darker without any of you.

-Richard