The one leaving :
It happened.
Imagine leaving everything you have ever known after 19 years of life. I suspected it for a while. Heard about it over and over again. I NEVER thought that it would actually happen. Was I financially stable enough yet and capable of making it on my own so that I would be able to stay? Absolutely NOT. Did I have people who would've opened their doors wide open for me to live with them? YES. But, I didn't. I knew deep down there was a reason that I was making such a drastic move, even though I couldn't bear to think of it that way. God told me to go, so I had to listen to him and trust in him.
Besides, finding out a month in advance would give me plenty of time to say goodbye to everyone, right? Wrong! Prior to moving, I had made the mistake of lying, disrespecting, and going against my mother's word. It resulted in major punishment, so I had to take responsibility for my unforgivable behavior.
I had my car taken away, no access to Anna for weeks. I was so angry because I was already having to move away from her, so how dare my mother take my privilages away RIGHT before it was time to relocate! I didn't get to see Anna until about 4 hours before it was time to be on the way to my new town. I was sad. Hurt. Down. Depressed. Heartbroken. And speechless.
How was I going to move forward with my life in a new city without my only friend? MY friend, MY person, MY second brain. MY OTHER HALF! Who was going to be my right hand and go everywhere that I go? Who was I going to live like I was in a reality tv show with? Who was going to honk the horn as I walked by her car, and watched the pleasure she got from scaring me? Who was going to fill the void of leaving the only friend that I had? How would I find happiness when I was so miserable?
Being and staying strong was almost nearly impossible. I was so anxious about everything. Mind constantly racing. Wondering if she would replace me and find new friends and we start to drift away from each other? I worried myself to death for the longest time. I worried and worried until God woke me up one day and told me to STOP worrying. I knew that everything happens for a reason and that he wouldn't put more on me that I could handle.
It still just wasn't enough to put my mind and heart at ease.
So as always, I continued to worry and stress and hold on to major depression over something that wasn't going to change. I literally felt sick inside. I cried out to God daily. I gave Him all of my worries, problems, and battles to fight for me. I couldn't fight that battle going on inside of me, so giving it to God was the best thing that I ever could've done.
Not only did he fight the battle, he made our friendship stronger than it had ever been. After prayer and more and more prayer, and having total faith in him, he opened our eyes to what is really important. He changed our mindset, and how we speak positivity in each other. Basically changed our whole life. He even blessed us enough that every word he spoke to us, we were able to speak them to other people to help motivate, and inspire them. We have ended up helping multiple people get through the toughest times. He took us from bitter to better in little under a year. He put us through major tests of faith, but he NEVER tested our friendship. He never broke the bond down. Instead, it is now stronger than it has ever been. People often wonder how we can stay on FaceTime for hours without even talking, failing to realize that we can sit in a room together for hours and also not say a word to each other. It is the comfort of feeling like she is right there with me. Needless to say, it HASN'T been as bad as we imagined. 5 miles or 95 miles away, we still remain inseparable.
NEVER question God's plan!
The one staying :
Saddened. The person I spent everyday with, every second possible with. The person who would stop everything to go on random adventures, the one who would pick up the phone anytime and go on random shopping trips whenever, the one who come over at anytime – to get whatever little anxiety thought that might've been bothering me that day out of my head, the one I would stay with for weeks at a time, literally doing nothing but enjoying my second families company.
I remember when I was first told you were moving – 95 miles away. It's only an hour and a half drive, seems like nothing. But when you've only had ONE consistent friend since you were 14, ONE consistent person whose always there, ONE consistent person who you ALWAYS had to hang out with, ONE person you have literally experienced almost everything with since middle school….
You eventually get the thoughts of "are we gonna have to make NEW friends?" For someone with anxiety and depression, that's not the easiest thought to EVER have. It's never easy to approach new people, or to even find a circle of people where you feel you actually "fit in."
But, God never makes mistakes. I KNEW my best friend wasn't being placed anywhere that she wouldn't be able to excel, anywhere she wouldn't be able to continue growing, or that she wouldn't enjoy to the fullest extent. I knew God would keep our friendship going exactly how it was left off in Simpsonville – just continuing on an hour and a half away, and I knew no matter how far – I could still always pick up and call my best friend at anytime necessary. Which eventually gave me a peace of mind through the whole situation.
Through many of text, many 95 mile drives, many FaceTime calls (everyday), God actually strengthened our friendship. He showed me just how strong a friendship could be, how a friendship could handle the miles between.. because in this day and age not everyone sticks around. He's brought many blessings, and also many trials and tribulations. But one thing He's never done – is removed either of us from one another's life, 95 miles away or 1,000 miles away.
This is a bond you could never break.
The Rise of Anna & Amy 