Example opening
Naomi,
There are people who show up when things are easy, and then there are people who stay when life becomes heavy. You were the second kind.
You stayed steady in a season when I was not always easy to be around. You did not ask for the polished version of me. You did not wait for me to explain everything perfectly. You were simply there: patient, kind, and real.
Thank you for checking in. Thank you for listening without rushing me. Thank you for making things feel a little less lonely just by being consistent.
I do not think friendship is only built in exciting moments. I think it is built in ordinary acts of care repeated over time. And when I look back, that is what I see in you.
I just wanted to say this clearly: your presence mattered more than you probably knew, and I will always be grateful for the way you stayed.
June