This post is a part of the Season of Gratitude Series. You can participate by writing a gratitude post and telling me about it. For more details, click here.

Friends are your chosen family. They are the folks that you chose to be in the trenches with you, the folks that you chose to celebrate your success.

You can choose the mother you never had. A friend that will always nurture you. The first one to consider your feelings when you call to talk about a run in you had with your boss. You can choose the perfect brother. Someone who will tell you the truth without mincing words. You know you can turn to this person when you feel like lying to yourself because they won’t, but they are always in your corner. There to help you grow. You can choose the perfect father. Someone who has your back, but calls you on your BS. You can choose the perfect sister. The friend you call up to catch the latest movie or take a road trip. She’s fun, energetic, and always there for a good time.

Some friends come into your life for 6 months just to help you through a hard time. They don’t know anything about the story and they can offer a fresh perspective. Others are around for a lifetime. They know your every nuance. They can tell you why you made the decisions you did if you begin to question them.

Great friends keep you grounded and help you fly. To all my phenomenal friends, I love you all and I am thankful for your unconditional love, honesty, and camraderie.