This year started off rough. And I don’t mean the usual “cold weather, flu season” kind of rough. I mean the kind of rough that stops you in your tracks—the kind that makes you question everything. Heart surgery in January, and just a month later, a thyroid cancer diagnosis. It all came out of nowhere, and for a while, I felt completely lost. I tried so hard not to let anyone see how shaken I was. I’m a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend—so many people rely on me. I chose to be strong for everyone around me. I didn’t have to, but I did. Yet, when I was alone, that strength slipped away. I cried. I was scared. More scared than I’ve ever allowed myself to admit.
Do you know what kept me going? My two best friends. They were my pillars. I could feel their fear and sadness for me too, but they never let it overwhelm me. Instead, they lifted me up, time and time again.
With them, I didn’t have to hold it together. They were my shoulders to cry on, the voices that reminded me to breathe when I questioned my faith and whispered, “Why me?” They reassured me I’d be okay, even on days when I couldn’t see it myself. And just like that, they’ve been there, always—even when I didn’t ask. I’ve been there for them in the same way, through every twist and turn of their lives.
That’s the beauty of true friendship. Not the curated, “Instagram-worthy” kind, but the real, raw, unfiltered kind. The kind that pulls you out of your darkest moments and celebrates the brightest ones. From cancer diagnoses to relationship struggles, from babies to job promotions—we’ve witnessed it all, together.
What we care about, above all, is each other. It’s that simple.
And we care about each other’s kids just as fiercely. I adore their children, and they adore mine. Our kids will always have three strong women to look up to, lean on, and learn from. We’re raising our little tribes side by side, teaching them the same loyalty, love, and resilience that carry us through life.
We show up for one another. We pray for one another. We talk—every single day. We call each other out when one of us is being dramatic. We remind each other how strong we are. And when we can’t be strong for ourselves, we remind each other that it’s okay. We’ve got each other.
I know, without a single doubt, that I could ask either of them for anything—and they know the same goes for them. We celebrate each other’s victories. We comfort each other through life’s storms.
Life is unpredictable. It can be messy, heartbreaking, and overwhelming. But we know, no matter what, we will always have each other. We will always show up. We will always care. We will always be each other’s constants in a world that often feels anything but.
That’s what friends do.
