“Ana.”   I wait for her fun-loving smile to appear.  It doesn't.  “Ana…” I try again, softer.  Still nothing.    Cautiously, I venture, “Hey… what's going on? ...  Ana…?”  She shifts.  I can see that she's clearly not okay.  My heart, just in these last ten seconds, has taken on the same weight as hers is bearing.   I don't even know what it is.  I know she won't talk, but she's not going to do this alone.  “Come here,” I whisper gently.  Ah, that works.  She lets me hold her tight; long and tight.  She clings to me.   We'll be here awhile.  I love her.  I'd hold her for as long as she needed it. “Eye-luvoo so mush.”  My voice is muffled in her shoulder, but she knows exactly what I'm saying.  “Eye-luvoo too,” she manages.  I squeeze tighter.  After a good, long time, we let go.  I take both of her hands and look into my best friend's eyes with so much love.  More than I've ever loved anyone in my life...  I cast my eyes back down, giving her respect.  Still so there, yet honoring her inclination to process in privacy.  Privacy coated in the comforting, present support of your best friend.  The security of them utterly not knowing, yet profoundly knowing nonetheless, and feeling it right beside you.  Never alone.   We sit together, quietly bearing the weight of the world hand in hand.  Inside ourselves, processing, yet hearts beating inside each other's. Stronger this way.   Ana and I. The most roaring wordless message a friend can ever give:  I'm here.   A flash of eye contact checks in every now and then.  Tender empathy. Sisterhood, unbreakable and ever-present.  Before long, I pull her back in for another hug.  We just go back and forth, hugs and hands, until the funk passes and love settles in its place.  I pray silently, and occasionally my plea to God becomes audible. I never know what I'm addressing, but I just give her all the love I know how to give, and I feel the weight of her heart beside her.  She is not alone. I will make sure of this.  I'm still hugging her, all the while aware that I will never know exactly what's going on, what she's thinking, what set off these emotions, or even quite what they are.  We'll never talk about this, and we don't have to. She is hugging back so hard that I know this is all she needs right now. Just love.   I don't know all that Ana goes through.  But I do know how to hold her tight and love her with all my heart.   At the end of the day, that's all she needed from me — to be loved.   Accepted.   Held.   Cherished.   Safe.   So I make my embrace a safe place for her.  A place where she knows she can let it all out.  She deserves it.  She's my best friend.  “I love you so much, girly,” I say, my words clear this time as I pull away and take a good look at her as only a best friend can.  I beam. Her sunshine has come back.  “I love you too,” Ana replies.  

“Ana.”   I wait for her fun-loving smile to appear.  It doesn't.  “Ana…” I try again, softer.  Still nothing.    Cautiously, I venture, “Hey… what's going on? ...  Ana…?”  She shifts.  I can see that she's clearly not okay.  My heart, just in these last ten seconds, has taken on the same weight as hers is bearing.   I don't even know what it is.  I know she won't talk, but she's not going to do this alone.  “Come here,” I whisper gently.  Ah, that works.  She lets me hold her tight; long and tight.  She clings to me.   We'll be here awhile.  I love her.  I'd hold her for as long as she needed it. “Eye-luvoo so mush.”  My voice is muffled in her shoulder, but she knows exactly what I'm saying.  “Eye-luvoo too,” she manages.  I squeeze tighter.  After a good, long time, we let go.  I take both of her hands and look into my best friend's eyes with so much love.  More than I've ever loved anyone in my life...  I cast my eyes back down, giving her respect.  Still so there, yet honoring her inclination to process in privacy.  Privacy coated in the comforting, present support of your best friend.  The security of them utterly not knowing, yet profoundly knowing nonetheless, and feeling it right beside you.  Never alone.   We sit together, quietly bearing the weight of the world hand in hand.  Inside ourselves, processing, yet hearts beating inside each other's. Stronger this way.   Ana and I. The most roaring wordless message a friend can ever give:  I'm here.   A flash of eye contact checks in every now and then.  Tender empathy. Sisterhood, unbreakable and ever-present.  Before long, I pull her back in for another hug.  We just go back and forth, hugs and hands, until the funk passes and love settles in its place.  I pray silently, and occasionally my plea to God becomes audible. I never know what I'm addressing, but I just give her all the love I know how to give, and I feel the weight of her heart beside her.  She is not alone. I will make sure of this.  I'm still hugging her, all the while aware that I will never know exactly what's going on, what she's thinking, what set off these emotions, or even quite what they are.  We'll never talk about this, and we don't have to. She is hugging back so hard that I know this is all she needs right now. Just love.   I don't know all that Ana goes through.  But I do know how to hold her tight and love her with all my heart.   At the end of the day, that's all she needed from me — to be loved.   Accepted.   Held.   Cherished.   Safe.   So I make my embrace a safe place for her.  A place where she knows she can let it all out.  She deserves it.  She's my best friend.  “I love you so much, girly,” I say, my words clear this time as I pull away and take a good look at her as only a best friend can.  I beam. Her sunshine has come back.  “I love you too,” Ana replies.  

I have a friend. She is a girl. We both 24 y.o. Before our friendship I tried to pick up her, but the result – zero. Never mind. So, from the day that we decided to be friends (I wasn't friendzoned. It was reciprocal decision), she started to tell me about her boyfriend. I was shocked. My thoughts was like: “What the f**k is this? Why do I have to listen that? Is she crazy? What's going on to this world?”. But reaction on my face was like: “Ohh. Of course you are right”. Then I started to analyze why she tells me those kind of information. Don't know, maybe she sees me a person to whom she can tell anything. Her stories never end. And I tried to support her, because her BF made such a stupid and illogical thing. Once, we were in café. We were talking about our joint work. I was looking in her eyes (they told me: “I want to tell you something”) and asked: “What's wrong?” She said: “We're started dating again”. That was 1…2…3… 35th attempt. Holy s**t. I was angry. Before, we talked about situation, where they broke up and she forgot everything. I made a lot of fiery speeches for her, like: “He doesn't deserve you” and so on. But this girl proved, that women's brain is different than man's brain. I was surprised how women are magnanimous. After all of that s**t, that he did to her, she forgave him. “We startedfrom the beginning!” – she sad. “Started what?” – I asked her. “Dating!”. And then, after she said that, she looked in my eyes for searching support. Of course I didn't do that. “Why did I spent a lot of time and you shed a lot of tears? For what? To start that bulls**t again?It's disgusting”. She's been looking in my eyes like the humanity at aliens. We stopped talking temporarily, because it was sad for me. Why should I spend my time and nerves to explain her, that her BF is strange person? She doesn't see it. Then I started to think about my thoughts about both of them. If she likes when her BF plays and make her nervous, so maybe they like it? Maybe personally she likes it? Because for me the relationships is when you help, make smile each other, swear sometimes but always put up. It's the normal for everyone but not them. Then I started to think that in this world there are many categories of people. Somebody likes to help, somebody likes to love, somebody likes make people laugh and cry. Such a many people, such a many opinions that will never intersect with each other. But my mistake was in too much thinking about it. ‘Try to accept that kind of human nature' – my mind said to me. And then I start to confirm all of that things I don't really like. Friendship sometimes means that you have to listen up your friend, give a support and do not criticize (especially if your friend a girl). For me to be friend is more important to have a friend. If you HAVE a friend it's much less good than BEING a friend. Sometimes it's harder (especially when they are drunk and you must pick up them anyway), but it is one of our mission on this planet – being a friend. Truly friends have to be always patient, because sometimes one of them start nagging, or joking (too hard), or something else; Truly friends have to be helpful, because nobody will listen up your problems rather than friend; Truly friends must be real friends it means – no lie, no negativity, no offense; Truly friends have to be… they always HAVE TO. Friends don't need to prove something to each other. Respect and protect your friends because in old age only your friends will understand what are you talking about and generally will listen you like no other. Make smile and laugh each other. Go to do some crazy things when you are young because in old age you will seat on chairs, watch TV and remember your youthfulness. If they ask something – do it. And don't forget to ask them anything too. That revelations I want to share with you. - P.S. By the way. My friend marries for that guy. In October. These 2 strangers will make happiness. I hope. Really hope…