friend –noun 1. a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

Thank you so much for all your kind words and empathy. Even though just expressing my troubles makes me feel considerably better, the comments that follow are definitely an added bonus.

Although my physical condition has not changed much, my emotional condition has, at least where my own suffering is concerned. The cause of the improvement? In a word, friends.

To be honest, I don't usually like "friends" posts. I'm not that kind of person. I don't even buy Kleenex, let alone use it when I'm feeling sentimental. I don't do fluff. But for the first time in my life, I am learning the definition of friends, and it is very real.

Here are the definitions in my personal dictionary of friends:

1. the one that never fails to make me laugh, is always up for a good time, brings a certain spark to life, making me love to be around her (for whatever reason); she always makes me feel good about myself, except for her perfect hair, which makes mine seem absolutely heinous in comparison.

2. the one that seems to be my clone, the only one who can truly relate to everything I go through. the one who loves me for all of me, and will never judge me; the only one who can rival me in my love for books.

3. the one who fills up my inbox, who surprises me every day with things we have in common that I would never guess; the one who can whoop any man on the planet at video games.

4. and then there is the one who knows all the little details about you that no one else deems important enough to notice, the one who knows exactly what you need before you realize you need it, who is on your side before she even knows what the other side is; the one who is always there, leaving your favorite flower on your doorstep just to put a smile on your face; the kind of friend I wish everyone had.

And then there are the happy, smiling, loving faces of other friends who always make me so happy. Laughing, eating, talking, playing, laughing some more.

Nothing is more important than family. But every girl needs good friends. I can't imagine my life without my mine.