friendship.

I'd say one of my greatest accomplishments in life is having had the same best friends for over 10 years.

This is no small feat as some may think. Maintaining close-knit friendships, especially amongst women, can be difficult as I've come to observe. It saddens me to see how common it is for a girl to have a new best friend every two months and I think this has become such an epidemic because most women have lost their sense of loyalty. Yep, that's right, I said it.

We let guys and petty arguments come between one of the strongest bond a woman can have and that's the bond she has with her best friend.

The definition of a best friend is simple, nothing too complex or scientific: Someone loyal who is there for you thick and thin.

I met my 'best friends' during my middle school years and we have maintained the tightest bond I think ever possible and its because we followed the simple 'rules'.

(disclosure: not for a second do I think I wrote the 'Book on Friendship' nor do I claim to be the world's most perfect friend but from my personal view, these are some things I think we should all 'live and learn')
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#1. If one of your friends likes a guy, that guy should automatically become a female in your eyes.

Yes, we emasculate any of you that come into the lives of one of our friends. We see you as women and sometimes even as a sister and may grow so close and comfortable with you that you will hear all the gory details of our lives. A guy that enters the circle of trust can be left unattended for hours with one of us without any of us even flinching. Its all about trust. My best friend's husbands/boyfriends/random-guy-they-like-f0r-a-month are specs of nothingness in the realm of possibility.

I see this rule as being one of the utmost important ones because so often girls will back stab one another over a male and that's just silly. There are PLENTY of guys out there, no need to lose a close friend over them.

#2. Don't sweat the small stuff.

Don't cry a river if your friend cant make it to something. This rule is tried and true as we've all at one point missed a birthday or special occasion. Granted, you can be hissy and fitty but eventually let it go. The only things you MUST attend are baby showers and weddings. Aside from that, be understanding and don't hold grudges. Its not worth it.

#3. Don't speak badly about your friends to others, but more importantly, don't let OTHERS speak about your friends to you.

This rule is one I hold dearly to my heart! It kills me to see girls talk badly about their best friends to other people but it kills me more when they let the 3rd party speak bad about their friend to them. Any one that knows my friends or I, know that you CANNOT EVER tell me a negative thing about them because i will cut you. I can say ashley is loud and that chantel dreses scandalously but don't you dare agree with me or continue off on the statement. lol.

#4: Fight it out then hug it out.
Fighting is a part of friendship, but so is forgiving. Instead of holding it in, just let it all out even if it sounds worse than it is. There is nothing worse than holding in anger because eventually it will rot away at the friendship so just spill it, deal with it, argue about it, then get over it. My friends and I have gotten in ridiculously insane jerry-springer'ish arguments but at the end of the day we say "ugh im sorry geez"...that'll about do it.

#5. "we're not here to judge you; we're here to listen to you, and judge you after"

There is nothing more annoying than girls that try to dictate their friends lives. I used to be one of them. 'Omg why are you with him, don't be such a pushover blablabla". Dont do it, why? because no one ever listens to you and it'll only frustrate you. All you can do as a friend is lend a listening ear and give your friend a shoulder to cry on and resist the urge to say 'i told you so'.

Meddling is purely reserved for moms. If your friends feel like they cant tell you something about their lives without you judging or insisting on correcting the problem, they will either keep it to themselves or go elsewhere.

I dont care if you want to quit your job and work as a carnie while living in a trailor with a guy who goes to the strip club every night, I am your friend regardless and will only give you advice when asked. I will not try to 'correct' any problem, ever, unless he physically hurts you, then I will show up to his house with a bat.

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Above everything, love and cherish those that sustain you.

( this quote doesn't only apply to 'things that should be read at weddings')