An Ode to Female Friendship: For Maddie and Carly

At 20, Ive experienced many forms of female friendship - some thats petty and fake as fuck, some that has sadly outgrown itself, some that only worked because we shared an interest, and so much more.

But thats not the kind of female friendship I want to talk about right now.

I want to talk about the kind of female friendship that doesnt give up on you, even when youve given up on yourself and the friendship. The kind that swallows up its pride and initiates a difficult conversation for the sake of what you guys fucking have or had but want to have again.

Its the kind of female friendship where you spend all of your birthday or christmas money on a bus ride just to see the other, because you know that spending time together is the best gift possible.

Its the kind of female friendship that will stay awake for you until 3:30 am - despite the fact that she is normally in bed by 10 - because you made the stupid decision to stay at a party in case the boy you like wants you for that night.and now you have to walk home alone in the dark because turns even though he was SAYING convincing things to you, he wont follow through.

Its the kind of female friendship that listens to you talk about this one boy (who turns out to be utterly irrelevant in the long run) NON-STOP.

Its the kind of female friendship that will greet you with a Good morning chickadee or put on the absolute perfect song.

Its the kind of female friendship that will research important things for you, things that you dont want to have to think about or deal with or quite frankly even admit to.

Im talking about the kind of female friendship that will stay by your side during a really bad and violating situation, and make you feel comforted. The kind of female friendship that will be furious for you, that will tell you all the right things, that will ultimately remind you that shes there for you no matter what.

Its the kind of female friendship that will call you out - lovingly so - and remind you that hey, youre really special and you deserve a lot better.

Its the kind of female friendship that wants more for you than you ever thought to want for yourself. Its love, plain and simple.

Its the kind of female friendship that makes you a full-on thoughtful video for your birthday, just because they want to show you how much they care.

Its the kind of friendship thats so unbelievably serious at the times when you need it to be, but also the kind thats silly and can find anything to talk about, and also the kind thats totally comfortable with silence.

Its the kind of female friendship that would just never turn on you. Like it is so real, so genuine, and so loyally true.

Its the kind of female friendship that is a Facetime call away, always and absolutely no matter what. And more than that, its the kind of female friendship that will stay with you on the phone as you talk just about yourself and what youre hurt or stressed about because she knows that right now, you really need her.

Its the kind of female friendship that checks up on you, when they know something is going on.

The kind of female friendship that every time you meet someone, you immediately tell them about your best friend just so they know for future reference. Because theyre going to need to know.

Its the kind of female friendship that you know is there

to stay...forever and ever and ever. You may have felt doubts or insecurities when you were younger, but you have been friends for so long and have proved to each other how much you care so many times that those doubts are long, long gone. And instead, those insecurities are replaced with the total comfort that this kind of female friendship - the real, true kind that has your back - is here to stay. Forever.

Its the kind of female friendship that you always wanted. You grew up reading Harry Potter, thinking about how you wanted to have a friendship as strong as Ron and Hermione and Harrys. And you do. And its even better than youve ever expected.

There is something so powerful about female friendship. Its so raw, strengthened by the experiences of being female.

Its unconditional. Its unbreakable. Its powerful and there to stay.

Forever.