When I was younger, my parents and I did not get along. I mean we did not get along at all. There would be screaming and fighting and just anger all over the house. Things were often tense and living under their roof was stressful for everyone involved.

When I was 17 I met my best friend to this day. He has an unusual first name and his last name is two nouns hyphenated. When all this stuff was going on at home my friend asked his parents if I could stay with them and they graciously accepted. During that time my friend and I got really close.

He has taught me so much, and even though I tell him this he never believes me. He taught me that it's okay to care about stuff you care about, however weird that might sound. He'll accept you for being you.

He is patient and kind (to a fault sometimes). He has a family of 5 kids and a wonderful wife who I am also proud to call a friend.

He doesn't care about money though, it's not even important to him, he cares about people. He seems to care so deeply that it's hard to describe.

He has moved from being a devout non-denominational Christian when I first met him to a die hard Catholic to now what I could only describe as an agnostic (although I'm sure he'd hate that term). He meditates daily.

3 years ago he knew nothing about web programming and now he has so many clients that he turns some down.

He and I have these intense conversations but in the middle of it we'll just throw our hands up and laugh at the ridiculousness of life.