This. This Is What Friendship Is.

Last night I dreamed about my best friend from school. We were in a holiday house, sitting on the bed. My friend told me an enormous secret, and I accepted it without question. And then I realised some doors were open in the house and I went around closing them, to make us both safe.

And then I woke up.

In the scheme of dreams, it was pretty tame. I mean, I have dreams about sex and death and cars flying off cliffs and houses floating in the sky. A dream about a secret and some doors is pretty mild by comparison.

But having been awake for an hour now, I'm starting to see more in the dream than met the unconscious eye. 

Because to me, that dream encapsulated friendship. It represented everything my close friends give to me, in one scene.

I have a fairly sizable circle of friends, and a massive circle of acquaintances. I have friends with whom I'm laughed, with whom I've cried, with whom I've had conversations which lasted for hours, and with whom I have stayed up late exchanging texts and message which have had me weeping with hilarity.

I have friends who have brought me food in a crisis, driven me here, and accompanied me there, and exchanged advice on everything from child rearing to anxiety to which bras will provide the greatest uplift and support.

But there is one quality that elevates true friends above everyone else, that goes beyond the chatter and the fun.

Unconditional acceptance.

It's when your friends know all your shit and they love you anyway. It's when you can tell them absolutely anything and they won't judge you or stop loving you, they'll just hold out their arms to catch you if you fall. It's when you know they may not agree with everything you say or do, but they will always be there, no matter what.

It's when their unquestioning acceptance helps you to go around your metaphorical house, shutting the doors and keeping yourself safe. 

To everyone who has this type of friend in their life, I hope you appreciate how blessed you are.

And to my beautiful friends, who know who they are, thank you.