This is about to get REAL sentimental y'all...

So, I've been looking at pictures on Facebook, which almost never leads to any pleasant feelings. Honestly, I rarely look at Facebook anymore because if I get a "notification," it's sent to my phone (on which I don't like to look at pictures/profiles because it's slower than molasses) and if I'm on my computer, my time spent on FB usually doesn't last more than 2 minutes after recollecting that I either don't care to brief myself on other people's lives or I don't want to look at pictures that will undoubtedly awaken in me any suppressed resentment. BUT, today, on my "news feed," I saw that a friend, Holly, recently got engaged; so, naturally, I had to attempt to vicariously experience it through the pictures. Looking at these pictures inevitably led me to explore other mutual friends' profiles/pictures, which all led to a catharsis of sorts over the displacement of all of these people I love.
I've never been the type to have a lot of friends, always just a few close ones. I think this is partly because, when it comes to purely platonic friendships, I'm always really bad at keeping in touch. Honestly, if it weren't for Clayton being my connection to the outside world, I would probably forget there is one. I'm probably the least "thoughtful" person I know, which I find too ironic because seemingly all of my time is spent in an incessantly intricate stream of consciousness. I don't know what I'm thinking about all of the time, but apparently it isn't about maintaining healthy relationships with the people I love. In essence, if you're my friend (platonically), you will probably almost never get a phone call or text message saying "Hey, how are you?... What's been going on?... What's new..." etc. [On the contrary, if you are of the male race and you've ever ignored me or "accidentally" forgotten to answer me, then I can attest that I probably relentlessly continued trying to contact you until, finally, my "out of sight, out of mind" mechanism kicked in; and if it didn't kick in, well, I'm sorry... I guess. I seem to be one of those who "likes the chase," although I've been informed that is usually a male characteristic, so I can't explain the source of that.] I also cannot for the life of me explain the aforementioned phenomenon, but I can assure you (friends) it has nothing to do with how much I love you.
I say all of that [which was probably unnecessary] to emphasize how much I care about the friends that I do choose to have, despite my lack of correspondence; and, lately, most of my friends have been leaving {to go on trips, or get a job, or get married, etc.}. Seriously, I could give a relatively long list. But the ones that won't be coming back are the ones that I'm writing to today. So this is my attempt at "thoughtfulness."
It all started with Meagan and Anna being the coolest people I knew in high school. Yep, I remember my first YL and getting to know you two over that next year and a half. You always made us feel special even though you both are the type of people who know everyone and constantly have someone competing for your attention because everyone loves you. You and all the other leaders showed us that being the person God made us to be (which means not sinning like a impulsive, uncontrollable heathen) is the way to live. Soon, we were all right there with you in college; and, when I did my whole attempt at YL Quest and found myself realizing how truly horrible I am at talking to people and making friends, Holly was right there to make me feel like less of a socially inept loser. And when Meagan, Anna, and Holly were all moving away, they didn't just abandon me; they gave me Hannah, because they knew I would need someone who's as awesome as they are to be a good influence on me.
Well now all 4 of you are in super serious relationships {married, getting married, or on your way to it} and you're all grown up... and it's weird. But seriously, Anna, I remember when you started dating Brian and when I got to hear about the newly romantic little details on the way to watch Hannah F.'s tennis match. And Meagan, I remember feeling privileged in knowing the ups and downs of that certain relationship you had that certain time... well now it seems that you got yourself a real winner! Woo! haha. And Holly I don't know your newly acquired fiance but he looks awesome, so congratulations :). And Hannah, well, I guess I kind of like Marc, I mean, he's okay. :D hahaha
This probably would've gone a lot better/shorter if I had just written each of you separately, but I don't think before I do things, so I'm gonna wrap it up. In conclusion, the time I had with y'all wasn't enough and never will be. I could never get enough of all of your wonderful selves and you'll always be "the coolest people I know." I'll always wish I had gotten more pictures with you and always wish I had known you even better, but God only gave us a certain amount of time and I thank Him every time I think of you guys because I wouldn't be the same person if I hadn't known you. You and I will probably never know how greatly you impacted my life but I'm just glad to be able to say I know you. : )

LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!!!!!