Love is Always Demonstrated in the Female Form.

Dear my female friends,

Growing up with two older brothers, I thought I had missed out on the "sister experience." You know the one, where they fight, share clothes and are built-in best friends. That's the story people will tell you when they speak of having a sister anyway. However, then I began to meet other girls in High School with all brothers and thought that we could just be each others sisters? That's when I realised all of you ladies, my close female friends ARE my chosen sisters. You have all seen me through life dramas, dating disasters and yes at time we've also shared each other's clothes.

They told us in High School about how we were "one big sisterhood" but I don't think I comprehended what that meant until recently. See there is no relationship quite like a female friendship. The female experience can be quite a treacherous thing. Constantly on the lookout for danger and predators around every turn; we look for other females to have our backs, and support us through the ups and downs of our own existence. Societies around the world teach that true, unconditional love means competing and finding the ultimate man to settle down with. But coming into our twenties, I have seen enormous growth from us all. Us as females and close friends have time after time shown up for each other for every low and every high. You have been by my side when I cried as my heart was breaking, and was equally there to celebrate all of my success.

In my deepest times I have told myself to think of what makes me happy, and it's you girls. The jokes we've had since we were seven, or the cringe worthy times of attending High School dances are the things I hold closest. Even the sister's I found after schooling helped develop me into the woman I am today. When I think of all of you, I feel immensely proud to have been chosen by you all. How lucky I am to be surrounded by women that are so intelligent, witty, determined, and yet somehow also have my strange, specific humour. To be able to live life with you all is such an honour, and it is where I get a lot of my confidence from. As demonstrated over the course of years, if you all love me, I can't be that bad.

So is this not true love? Did society sell us a false narrative growing up? I think so. Falling in romantic love is great, don't get me wrong, but true female platonic friendship is one of the strongest bonds known to humankind. Even women that are strangers are willing to step in and help another female if danger is near, or even if someone needs a tampon in a public restroom. Love is always demonstrated in the female form.

In conclusion, when I think of my favourite memories so far in life it is sitting around campfires with all of you drinking wine, or dancing/singing our hearts out on a night in. Even on my travels, my best memories are surrounded by women. It seems no matter where someone goes in the world, there is inevitably a loud group of women having more then anyone else in the room. So, to all the chosen sisters I currently have, thank you. I love watching you all flourish in your careers, hobbies, styles and relationships other than ours. I am so excited to see what else is to come for you, and I promise to be there alongside you cheering you on.