And I guess I'll take this opportunity to share some thoughts about friendship. People often comment how much our friendship shines through our pictures and these stories of our adventures and funny exploits. It makes us happy to share the happiness and fun, but I hope that people who say they hope to make bonds like ours are aware that that's not all there is to friendship.

We're not friends merely because we manage to have all that fun together. Apart from all the silly stuff, we talk about our dearest hopes, greatest dreams and darkest fears. We're not just playmates. Real friendship is sometimes difficult. We help each other through the low points of our lives. There are also times that we might hurt each other. It's only natural for friends to fight sometimes, I think. It seems inevitable that people who allow themselves to be raw and open and vulnerable in front of each other might sometimes lead to conflict out of disagreement or misunderstanding. While it sucks when we find ourselves in those situations, but once it's all sorted out I realize that it's those rough patches that make our bonds stronger. I guess somehow fighting is one of the ways in which I really get to know a person, and it also gives me an opportunity to learn about myself. It sheds some light on we manage our anger, it forces us to get to know those raw emotions and thoughts that lie below surface, and it shows how much we are capable of hurting each other. Most importantly though, is how it makes us realize how much the other person really means to us. If after hurting each other and being aware of how difficult you both can be, you still feel that life would not be complete without one another, then that's a friendship worth keeping and fighting for.

Sad as it is, we have been forced to accept that there really are people who are only there for the ride when it's time for fun, but will not hesitate to turn on us when times get tough. They're not willing to invest patience and understanding, and they refuse to grasp what it truly means to say sorry.

This image from Tumblr sums it up better than I can.

Don't get me wrong, though - this does not justify being a doormat if the other person is truly abusive. You ought to know when you're being treated fairly. But this is about those fights caused by misunderstandings between friends. They shouldn't be confused with forms of fighting as a competitive sport where there is one clear winner and titles and trophies are at stake. There is nothing to gain from trying to "win" a fight with a friend. (Or we could say that you can win the title of Ultimate Asshat and a gift certificate from the Universe that entitles you to a lifetime of being friendless and lonely.)

Instead of trying to decide who was right, shift your focus on how to make things better. We all make mistakes. We have our stupid moments. I myself have times when I require a solid punch to the face. Real friends won't hold your mistakes against you if you show willingness to change and grow. Those can be forgiven and taken as opportunities to learn if you allow yourself to be humble enough to consider what others have to say, and be open to finding ways to work things out and to be a better person - even if it means having to listen to and accept difficult truths. Sure, it can hurt. But in the long run, it makes for better relationships compared to ones where people just sweep the bad stuff under a metaphorical rug and pretend that the world is made of sunshine and rainbows. It's really not. But that's why it's beautiful (sunshine and rainbows are so overrated), and knowing true friendship makes the rough paths a little easier to walk in.

And that is the secret of our friendship. Which is not really a secret, really. But sometimes it seems that there is little appreciation in this world for common sense. I apologize for the walls of text, but I do hope some of you were able to pick up some bits of sense in all that."