Dear Black Best Friend

I've always admired your strength, your wisdom, and your tough perspective of this world. You've taught me to always consider every possibility before succumbing to a conclusion, to think before I speak, and to always love myself as much I love the ones closest to me. You have been my river and my rock these past years of having you in my life, and it has been nothing but a blessing.

But this article isn't just your average thank you letter. I wanted to create something that I found isn't necessarily depicted in the media these days; your beauty. Inside and out, a verbal dissection of how your cheekbones connect to the corners of your smile, a documented piece of history of the feelings and emotions you feel every day you wake up. I wanted to make something for you, to always look back to; especially on your worst days.

You've always been as beautiful to me since the day we met. Your dark skin could never define the way your heart cared for your family and friends, how you always stood up for what's right and never backed down when you heard no; it could never define all the things that would make you smile because it's okay to have weaknesses.

I never want you to compare yourself to the girl who you think gets the guy, just because he chose her now does not mean someone else won't choose you later. Please don't use your color as an excuse as to why you haven't fallen in love yet. Believe me when I say that there is a whole population out there of men who are searching for a girl who looks exactly like you.

I love your strength and the way it carries you out from every heartbreak you face. The way you stand up for yourself and for others. The way you protect the humanities of other minorities is something to be proud of.

But we never talk about how you feel.

Your emotions, your thoughts, and your heart. I want to know how you really feel after a break-up, after an argument, and after a fight. I want to know where your thoughts go when you've just experienced a death in your family, I want to know everything you feel. Open, honestly, and candidly. I know how tough you are, but I also want to know how vulnerable you can choose to be.

I hope how society's definition of privilege does not discourage you to put away your dreams and aspirations like they never meant anything. I hope it makes you work harder so you have that pride of how great your work ethic can be.

I think privilege is just another way of society telling us to stay in our place and not move. But because of you, I don't believe in staying in one place for too long, because our two legs were meant to travel anywhere life takes us. I want you to survive but also thrive, in your dreams, even in your realities; I want you to believe that labels are just words said for someone who does not know of your exponential capabilities but instead wants to keep you in your place due to what they think is organizational structure.

Lastly, I hope you acknowledge the concept of revelation. No, not the bible but revelation within being brave enough to know that your weaknesses are your strength so you don't have to be ashamed of the fact that you struggle sometimes too. Your flaws are not mistakes but planned perfection. Now do me a favor and reject everything society thinks you are and don't be scared to bask in the confidence and the belief that you were always somebody who was always going impact the world in the best way possible.