Walking through life with your bestie

Gigglers, remember last December when we asked for your stories of best friendship for our Tale of Two Besties contest? Well, we’re super excited to announce the finalists and grand prize winner. We’ll be counting down our runner-up besties stories, and on February 18th will announce the winner—plus reveal the ‘A Tale of Two Besties‘ cover! Check out Rebekah Kibodeaux’s story below.

Imagine walking next to someone. No person in particular. You’re on a dirt path, soft and worn, surrounded by two empty fields on either side. You don’t know where you’re walking to; just happily walking alongside this shadow. You’re comfortable. You’re so completely, beautifully comfortable. The rhythm of the shadow’s steps works perfectly in time with yours, and at the speed you’re both moving, the breeze wafts over you at exactly the best moments. It is peaceful, and it feels like the home you’ve been searching for all of your life. The shadow’s pace quickens as it speeds ahead. Now your shadow is in front of you. You can see their face at an angle as you walk, but it is no longer at your side. This is worrisome, because what if it changes course, or stays just out of reach forever? The sky ahead looks slightly grey, but the shadow presses on without worry. You blink, and now the shadow is behind you. You’re both walking at the same pace. You can feel their presence, but you can no longer see them. The bouncing blue sky has returned, but your shadow companion feels sad and slow. You don’t want to slow down, as you’ll lose momentum, but leaving the shadow behind is too difficult to imagine. Now, try this again. Who do you see? I believe that the most important layer of life is when we interact with others, and the levels within that layer are where we hold our relationships. Setting aside the love of the family we are given, which is incredibly powerful in itself, the love and trust of someone we have chosen for ourselves is a most valuable possession. There is a perfect comfort that comes with trusting someone else with your whole self, and when that level has been reached, it’s safe to say that you’ve caught yourself a bestie. During the slow, steady walk of life your bestie is always there, whether you can see them or not. Whether it feels like they’re ahead, behind, or beside you, you can count on your bestie to be there for the best and worst of times. When I find myself in moments of extreme glee, fear, or sadness, I turn immediately to my bestie. We can read each other’s thoughts with the slightest glance, and can soothe any worries even in silence. My person can read my face word for word. In life, you find your people. You find your person, and you never let go. My person found me when I wasn’t even looking, and she taught me to open up and work towards my goals without any regret. At the time of our meeting I was content with the people I had in my life, thinking that I didn’t need to let anyone else in. And then here she came, strutting in without question, and turning my life upside down. I am open to new things and new people because of what she has taught me. I tell her everything and hope to be judged, because her opinion counts that much. It’s hard to put into words the feeling of complete trust, but that’s just the point when it comes to my person. We don’t even need words. When you’ve been with certain people for long enough, a sense of possession grows. These people are mine, and I am theirs. But what happens when your people find people of their own? When life partners are brought into the mixture, things change, but only for the better. My person just recently married her partner, and with his friendship came that of his family’s. There, I gained even more happiness. My bestie and my boyfriend are extremely close friends. How lucky I am to have what I have. Throughout friendship, I learned how to appreciate the significance—and handle the struggles—of a bestie relationship. The bond between best friends is so incredibly strong, and that strength can play on both sides. Your similarities can become weaknesses, and things you once thought were weak can transform into something great. In the real world, your bestie is so much more than a shadow; she is more of a mirror. My best friend shows me my truths, whether she is ahead, behind, or beside me. When my best friend walks ahead of me I am proud, and when she walks behind me I am supportive. But in each other’s eyes, we will always walk together. This essay was written by Rebekah Kibodeaux.

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