Hello, friends and followers. I know it has been a while... like... 2 years. After everything that has happened globally, locally, and personally for myself the past two years, I have been at a loss of what to say. But I'm not here to talk about the past two years. I am here to talk about thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation for this beautiful thing I was able to acknowledge this weekend called "chosen family". You know, the family that might not be related by blood, but they love you fiercely all the same...
"Have you ever had someone come into your life and felt so at home at first meeting or conversation, where you thought to yourself: 'I hope you never leave'? because I think I have found that thing. I think I have found those people who feel like home, and God knows I hope they never leave." ~AbbyLynn Writes
Here are some of my chosen family members...my people who feel more like home than my house...the people I hope never leave...
Lisa-Marie: My sweet new friend from Germany. We have only known each other for about 5 months, but I love you like a sister already. I have no idea what I would do without you. It is so strange to me to think about life before Lisa-Marie and I have a very specific and wonderful man to thank for our bond and special friendship we share. So side note: Thank you David Haydn-Jones for unknowingly connecting me to a friend with common interests who may live in Germany, but she's never felt closer to my heart. I am forever thankful for you and the encouragement, love, and support that you give me personally on my journey through life, but I'm even more thankful for the friend I have now because we happen to be in the same crazy facebook group that loves to support our favorite guy(That's you, ya big goof!)... back to Lisa-Marie! I adore your energy and personality, and I am beyond thankful for your support through all my recent ups and downs. I trust you and feel I can confide in you about most anything. I love you so much, my dear sweet friend. *Du bist meine freundin* And I don't know where I'd be now if that wasn't the case.
Arielle: Awieeeeelleee! You are such an amazing and fun art buddy I have semi-recently come to know. You say the silliest things and we have so much fun together. You mean the world to me and I am so happy to call you my friend. I love the fact that I can rant to you about anything, and I know you don't judge me in my chaos. You are one of the most talented and amazing artists I know personally and I adore you with my whole heart. Thank you for being such a great friend and supporter who never lets me down. I don't know what I'd do without your wonderful sense of humor and kindness in my life. Love you always!!
Dani: What a strange thing to think that I wouldn't have reached out to connect with you in our online english class if it wasn't for that random day you, me, and Jackson met for coffee at the Bitter End. That has now basically become unofficially "our place". That and the adventures we have had at open mic night where you come and support my poetry and songs like a number one fan. I am so glad we had the chance to connect after our first time meeting because you've seen me in my low points and you love me just the same! Thank you for sticking around.
Hannah: You might not see it in yourself, but you are my Arizona ray of sunshine and I love you more than anything! I am forever glad I chose to go to church in Phoenix that one night we met. You reached out to me for the first time later in the year because you said you were feeling really down, and I am glad you did for a variety of reasons. I am glad you reached out because I was able to make sure you were okay. You reached out to me and now I have a beautiful and wonderful best friend whose wedding I get to be in this October. Ever since you reached out to me, I have felt so blessed and fortunate to have had the chance to know you and grow with you and be your friend. I hope you can see the wonder and light within yourself that I see, and know that you are amazing as you are. I love you beyond the moon and back, because "to the moon and back" just isn't enough.
Taylor: To my best friend in Chicago... Nykko might be your husband and the Bucky to your Steve, but with me being Captain Marvel and you being Captain America, we are two badass bitches who won't take no shit. I am overjoyed to have been a part of your wedding last October. I was there to wipe away the pre-wedding stress tears, talk sense into your family to give you space you needed to collect yourself, and I was honored to be the first person to read your vows. I am amazed at the internet friendship that formed into a beautiful personal one where I can confide in you, trust in you, and rely on you for anything. To think we became friends after I saw your Instagram photo of you and Sebastian Stan... I remember seeing that for the first time and thinking: "Wow. She seems so beautiful and confident and fun. I would love to be her best friend." And now look where we are today. Even over any bumps we have faced, we have overcome the hard things and chose to fight for our friendship and for each other. I love you endlessly.
Maddy: Oh, Maddy. Where do I even begin. After all the shit we have been through in our almost 4 years of being friends, I am so thankful for the adventures we have had and the ones we will continue to go on as two crazy best friends. You're my road trip buddy, my convention pal, and my cosplay partner in crime. You're a Marvel nerd like me and I love that about you. You are also the reason I started watching Supernatural, but you knew that. But I thank you for that too, because after the weekend we just had at creation in Indianapolis, I have found a new sense of joy, love, gratitude, and fullness. If we hadn't gone to Momento con in Pittsburgh last September, I never would have met David! And therefore, I wouldn't have made other friends through him (Like Lisa-Marie, as stated earlier). You have connected me to you by sharing what you love. And it has also connected me with others who share our fun interests as well. To think it started on April 26th, 2018 at out local theater to watch Avengers: Infinity War. I remember seeing you in your Scarlet Witch themed outfit and asking for a photo thinking "Wow! She's so cool!" and you told me you had the same first thought about me. Turns out, we are both a pair of weirdos and I love that for us. I wouldn't trade you for the world. Thank you for the best adventures ever. I love you so heckin much.
Manda: And now to my friend of almost 22 years... I love you beyond words. I can't thank you enough for being my longest best friend who literally wiped away the tears on my long hard nights I didn't think I'd live through. I feel as if I can do anything with you on my side. I can face my demons, I can conquer my fears, and love myself fully because you help me know who I am is not dependent on another, but that I have been full all along on my own. You have taught me lesson after lesson on what a true, good, and honest friend should be. Even if there were things that were hard for me to hear, I trust that you would give me the truth to better myself. That bus driver put us together in a seat when I was 5. And the rest is history. I can't remember life before you or without you, and I hope I never have to. You are a talented artist, a thoughtful soul, and a wonderful best friend. I can't ever give you the proper expression of thanks you deserve for loving me in the lowest points of my life. From our late night Steak N Shake adventures, to sleepovers at the cottage... Making "cookie pangea" , or painting each others nails... We danced on stage with Family Force 5, and we drew stupid faces on eggs and took photos of them around my mom's house for God's sake. We have been through it all. I love you. I love you. I love you. And I'm not sure anything could change that.
And so these are a portion of the words that I am actually able to express to say "Thank You" to my chosen family/supporters who mean the world to me. My rocks. My foundation. My favorite humans... If home is where the heart is, I'm always home with any of you.
I feel a new sense of gratitude, grace, joy, and fullness. My life is better with you all in it.
I love you all endlessly, with the fullness of my heart. Thank you for making me now a happy, happy girl.
~AbbyLynn
No comments:
Post a Comment