As I walk onto the plane, I go find a sufficient, uncomfortable seat.  Surrounded by people I am unfamiliar with, I put in my earbuds, with my favorite playlist on, and disregard everything around me.  A glimpse of the large world out of such a small window makes me ponder about all the wonders of life.  Whether considering my own life, a small window, or thinking about the big picture, the world, I always find the airplane to be a great place to think. 

Today, as I sit here 35,000 feet in the air, being a teen in 2018 comes to mind.  Many teenagers get so caught up in what people will think about every little thing they do.  It overcomes their world because they are so worried that they will be judged, or made fun of, or people won’t want to hang out with them anymore.  My view on this is, who cares?  Go out, be you, have fun, live life to the fullest because you only live once, and at the end of the day, what really matters is if you are happy.  And if you’re happy, then you shouldn’t be stressed or worried about what your peers are “saying” or if they still want to be your friend.  If you analyze this, it will be very clear who your real friends are. 

Your real friends are the ones that will be right by your side no matter what, the ones that you can always count on to be there for you, the ones that will still want to be with you no matter what.  Real friends will clean your room with you, go on a run with you, and eat ice cream with you when you both need it.  All the others, they may be for you every now and then, but when life really goes downhill, and you need them the most, don’t expect them to skip the party, answer their phone, or go out of their way to help you. 

I learned the definition of a real friend this year when life was not at its peak, and she happens to be standing right next to me as I step off the plane.

I turn my music off and take my earbuds out as I walk into the Fort Myers airport.  I glance at my best friend and realize just how thankful I am to have someone as special as her in my daily life.  I don’t just know she is there for me now, but I know that she will always be.