Love. Actually.

I got a message from a friend that said:

"I know I suck. But I hope we're still friends."*

For the record? My friend soooo doesn't suck. My friend is actually awesome. (Dude. You are. I can't hear you arguing right now.) His message, however, made me think about friendship as a whole, and the ways we (or, um, I) talk about it, and the way we (haha me again) don't. 

So. 

To my friend who thinks he sucks: you, sir, are an amazing example of humanity and I love you. I loved you yesterday. I love you today. I will love you tomorrow. FOR REALZ, YO.

And for the rest of my friends? Same goes.

I don't know why people -- and by "people" I mean "me" but I do know others with this affliction -- are so shy about confessing love. Because the truth (which should be told as often as possible) is that I love my friends. LOVE THEM. Even when I'm all wifty and distant and not accessible. I don't know how to say it other than to say it, but, sadly, sometimes I forget/feel awkward/ don't know how. 

As a result, I do want to say it here: I LOVE YOU GUYS.

And the truth is that sometimes I suck. Sometimes I forget to check in and let time pass and don't tell you what's going on. Please -- PLEASE -- don't interpret that as a lack of love. Interpret it as an inability to escape from my own head, or poor time management, or insufficient medication. But not an absence of adoration. 

Because you -- all of you? -- you're my family.

And I love you.

And you could never, ever, suck. 

*eh, paraphrasing.