**MyBestFriend:ABeaconofLightinLife’sJourney**

*DeliveredattheSchoolFriendshipSymposium,October2024*

Introduction:TheSparkofaLifelongBond

Haveyoueverencounteredsomeonewhosepresencefeelslikeawarmhugforyoursoul?Someonewholaughswithyousohardyoursideshurt,andcrieswithyousosoftlyyourheartheals?Forme,thatpersonisMia—mybestfriendoftwelveyears.Wemetinmiddleschool,whensheaccidentallyspilledherlunchonmynewnotebookandapologizedwithahand-drawnsunfloweronthecover.Thatsmallactofkindnessignitedafriendshipthathasweatheredstorms,celebratedtriumphs,andshapedwhoIamtoday.

Today,IwanttosharewithyouthreelessonsMiahastaughtmeaboutthetruemeaningoffriendship:trustasasafeharbor,growthasasharedjourney,andacceptanceasalovingembrace.Thesearenotjuststoriesaboutourbond—theyareprinciplesIbelievecanhelpanyonenurturedeeper,moremeaningfulrelationships.

1.Trust:TheUnshakableFoundationofTrueFriendship

Friendshipwithouttrustislikeahousewithoutafoundation—beautifulonthesurface,butfragilewhenthewindsblow.MiaandIbuiltourtrustnotthroughgrandgestures,butthrough*small,consistentactsofvulnerabilityandrespect*.

Letmetakeyoubacktooursenioryearofhighschool.Ihadbeensecretlystrugglingwithanxietyaboutcollegeapplications.Onenight,afteraparticularlytoughpracticeforthedebateteam,Ibrokedowninherbedroom.ItoldherIwasscaredofnotbeinggoodenough,ofdisappointingmyparents,oflosingmyselfintheprocess.Shedidn’tofferemptyreassuranceslike“You’llbefine”or“Don’tworry.”Instead,shesatwithme,heldmyhand,andsaid,“Iseehowhardyou’retrying,andthat’senough.Whateverhappens,I’llberightherewithyou.”

Thatmomenttaughtmethattrustisn’tabouthavingalltheanswers—it’saboutbeingpresentwhensomeonehasnone.Mianeverjudgesmeformyfears,andIneverhesitatetosharemydarkestmomentswithher.AsthepoetMayaAngelouoncesaid,“I’velearnedthatpeoplewillforgetwhatyousaid,peoplewillforgetwhatyoudid,butpeoplewillneverforgethowyoumadethemfeel.”Miamakesmefeel*seen*—andthat’sthegreatestgiftafriendcangive.

2.Growth:WalkingHandinHandThroughLife’sMilestones

WhenIdecidedtotryoutfortheschoolplay(somethingI’dneverdonebefore,thankstoalifelongfearofpublicspeaking),Miadidn’tjustsay“Goodluck.”Shehelpedmepracticemylineseverynight,evenwhenIstumbledoverthemahundredtimes.Shecametoeveryrehearsal,tooknotes,andgavemegentlefeedback—like“Tryslowingdownhere;yourcharacterisnervous,notinahurry.”O(jiān)nopeningnight,whenIsteppedontothestage,Isawherinthefrontrow,holdingasignthatsaid“You’rebrave,andI’mproud.”Ididn’tjustperformthatnight—I*shone*—becauseIknewshebelievedinme.

Growthinfriendshipisn’taboutchangingforeachother—it’saboutchanging*with*eachother.AsMiaoncetoldme,“Thebestfriendshipsaretheoneswhereyoucangrowapartandstillgrowtogether.”That’sthemagicofourbond:we’vebothevolved,butourconnectionhasonlydeepened.

3.Acceptance:LovingEachOther’sImperfections

Let’sbehonest—nooneisperfect.Miaforgetsherkeys*everysingleday*.Shehatescoffee(which,asaself-proclaimedcoffeeaddict,Istilldon’tunderstand).Andshe’stheworld’sworstatkeepingsecrets(sheoncetoldmeabouthersister’ssurpriseparty*aweekearly*).Butyouknowwhat?Iloveherforallofit.

Acceptanceinfriendshipmeanslovingsomeonenotinspiteoftheirflaws,but*because*ofthem.Itmeanslaughingwiththemwhentheymessup,notatthem.Itmeansforgivingthemwhentheyhurtyou,notholdingagrudge.

Ididn’tjustforgiveher—Ihuggedheruntilwebothcried.Becausethat’swhatfriendsdo.Wedon’texpectperfection;weexpect*heart*.Mia’sflawsaren’tmistakes—they’repartofwhosheis.AndwhosheisissomeoneIlovemorethanwordscansay.

Conclusion:TheGiftofLifelongFriendship

Miaisn’tjustmybestfriend—she’smyconfidant,mycheerleader,mypartnerincrime.She’stheonewhoknowsmyfavoritesong(it’s“HeyJude”byTheBeatles),mybiggestfear(spiders),andmydeepestdream(towriteabookaboutourfriendship).She’stheonewhomakesmelaughwhenIwanttocry,andcrywhenIneedtoletitout.

Butmostimportantly,Miahastaughtmethatfriendshipisn’taboutbeingtogetherallthetime—it’saboutbeingtherewhenitmatters.It’sabouttrust,growth,andacceptance.It’saboutlovingsomeoneforwhotheyare,notwhoyouwantthemtobe.

So,dearfriends,Iaskyou:WhoisyourMia?Whoisthepersonwhomakesyourheartfeelwarmjustbybeingthere?Takeamomenttodaytotellthemhowmuchtheymeantoyou.Becauselifeisshort,andtruefriendshipisthegreatestgiftwecangiveorreceive.

AsIstandheretoday,Iwanttosaythankyou,Mia.Thankyouforbeingmybeaconoflight.ThankyouforlovingmewhenI’mbroken,andcelebratingmewhenI’mwhole.Thankyouforbeingmybestfriend—today,tomorrow,andforever.

Andtoallofyou:Cherishyourfriends.Nurtureyourbonds.Becauseintheend,it’snotthethingswehavethatmatter—it’sthepeoplewelove.

Thankyou.

NoteforSpeakers:

DeliveryTips:Useawarm,conversationaltone—imagineyou’retalkingtoaclosefriend.Pauseforemphasis(e.g.,aftersharingthestoryaboutMiaforgettingyourbirthday).Makeeyecontactwiththeaudiencetobuildconnection.

VisualAids:Considershowingaphotoofyouandyourfriend(e.g.,themiddl