Modern Cotton: all for one, and one for all

"Friendship isn't about whom you've known the longest.

It's about who came, and never left your side."

-Anonymous

[the title is a tribute to one of my all-time favorite movies: Now and Then. Now those girls knew a thing or two about friendship]

[shout out to my awesome friends--you know who you are and how much you mean to me]

Warning: this post is not for those who don't want to know how I truly feel about recent events with my oh-so-fabulous besties. (can't say I didn't warn ya)

That said, I always kinda wondered when I'd actually do this (write a post that might offend some people who actually take time out of their day to read what I have to say). I don't want to offend them, but I'm aware that I might. My only defense is that this is my blog. I write about the highs and the lows, and it just so happens that today I don't really have any pithy anecdotes for your entertainment.

I'm struggling with how exactly I want to say what I have weighing on my mind, but here I go anyway....

Ever hear of giving someone the benefit of the doubt? I'm sure you have (because, really, who hasn't?). What everyone fails to mention about this phrase is that it's subjective. Aka- it's not just given to everyone.

What about the song "friends in low places"? It's a Garth Brooks song thats fun to belt immediately following "Callin' Baton Rouge" while frat lapping, but it kinda has a point. I'm not sayin' my friends aren't top of the line; I'm sayin' not everyone gives us the benefit of the doubt.

Why you might ask? Because, in my humble opinion, the benefit of the doubt isn't given to those who 1) are overly visible or involved 2) tend to be loud and semi-obnoxious on a regular basis 3) might have made a few mistakes in the past (no matter if they have cleaned up their act currently or now refer to themselves as "grandmas" regarding their social activities)

[lions travel in "prides." packs known for loyalty and support]

* in media law we learned that pictures can be libelous when taken out of context. I wanted to make perfectly clear that I intend the context these pictures imply. (aka- I'm taking full responsibility for anything a reader would infer from my pictures, all courtesy of pinterest)

There used to be a time when I never doubted anything the people I trusted told me. I am a rule-follower through and through, but I'd be lying if I said I'd never made mistakes in this department (just to be clear...so would everyone else).

My issue today (and for the passed few days) has been the meaning of friendship and loyalty. I've always believed that family(both blood and otherwise) comes second only to God. That's why I'm perplexed as to why some would turn on their own.

"Friends are the family you choose for yourself."

aka-treat them like your family

I'm relatively certain you're getting my point; so, I won't beat a dead horse. SOooO0O00OO0o, I'm using the rest of this post to say why exactly it is that I'll always have my besties' backs. While I may have friends in low places, they're the cream of the crop.

They know the real me, (The one that wears her hair in an "Asian bun", over-sized Tennessee shirt and nike shorts. The one that can quote a song lyric or movie for any situation. The one that hoards nail polish, magazines, and DVDs like their going out of style) and I know them. They'd have my back in a hot-second, and I'd have theirs'.

[Thelma and Louise could teach every gal a thing or two about loyalty]

For better or worse, whether we always agree with each other or not, no matter the scenario, no matter the reason, no matter the outcome--you mess with one girl, you got us all.