Wednesday, January 29, 2014

i've got this friend

Often I wonder how in the world I could possibly be so lucky.  I have some of the must truly wonderful people in my life.  There are no words to describe my gratitude for this gift from the universe or God or whoever is in charge of this stuff, but I'm going to do my best to let everyone know how great one of my friends is right here, right now.

For the sake of her anonymity (not finna blow her spot), we'll call her Daisy.

Daisy is quite possibly the single coolest human being I've ever come into contact with.  Her wardrobe consists of funky pieces she DIY-ed, thrifted vintage finds, and random sweaters or pants or shoes that you look at and think no one should ever wear until she slips them on and they instantly and magically turn you green with envy.  Don't let that fool you, though, she is also insanely down to earth and humble, and will look at you, wide eyed and surprised, anytime you give her a compliment because she is absolutely never expecting to be praised for just being her.

Her artistic skills and soulful voice will blow the most dedicated hipsters clear out of the water.  Her creativity is boundless, whether she is painting flowers on a pair of shoes or writing her own song or tackling some insurmountable recipe with grace and finesse.  She can take your favorite song, cover it, and make you love it even more than you realized you could love your favorite song.  Everything Daisy touches becomes a little bit prettier, and she has no idea she's even doing it.

Adventures with Daisy are better than adventures with any other person you know.  Running around the streets of Paris searching for my favorite crêperie is a great adventure we had.  But getting coffee and sitting on the ground in the middle of downtown Albany, ten minutes from my house is wild and fulfilling alongside her, too.  She's the kind of friend you're grateful to have because you can take your bra off around her without feeling awkward and she'll tell you if you have spinach in your teeth.  You will always laugh with her, but you can sit in silence for an hour or two and know that whatever you are thinking is understood without exchanging any words.  Her presence alone makes your day brighter.

Above all, what I think makes me admire her the most, is how she is so fiercely herself.  There is no other eighteen year old who I know that is so fearlessly being the person they dream of being.  Willing to tackle any challenge and equally willing to fail, as she knows she will at least learn something.  She says exactly what is on her mind.  If you dare to debate her, she will graciously accept your challenge, and respectively leave you dazed and confused and certainly having learned something new.  God forbid she saw you spit on social justice in someway, I promise you will turn away from her with your tail between your legs.  The courage to take a stand in being moral, or just to take a stand in anything, is something society sorely lacks.  If every young person in the world had even a tenth of the zest for life that Daisy has, the potential triumphs of the human race would be limitless.

Daisy is the person in your life that makes you realize despite sometimes being disappointed by one person, there is always someone or something not far behind, to reinstate your sunshine.